[DisneyDaniel]

Here's another method that's non-confrontational for everyone:

If your answering machine has a speaker that lets you hear what's being said as the person is leaving a message, then just have your answering machine turned "on" 24 hours a day. Simply inform your closest friends or relatives that your answering macine is on 24/7 and they simply have to say, "Hello, this is [insert name], pick up if you're home."

Otherwise, if it's not someone you know, just ignore it. If it's important, then someone will leave a message--or maybe your close friends/family already have your cell phone number. Best of all, you don't have to speak with any telemarketers. It seems about bout 99% of telemarketers just hang up and do not leave messages--they want to talk to an actual person.