Talking to online friends on the phone?

I have no problem giving my number out to online friends if I've known them for awhile and feel that I can trust them. I still talk on line more than the phone. I guess because I can do other things while I'm chatting online with someone but it's harder to try to get work done when talking to them on the phone. I guess I just like multitasking.

I talk to a few of my online friends on the phone. I use my cell phone rather than home phone, and nobody seems to take offense at that. They'd rather I be careful than not (they're my friends, after all). It doesn't make me nervous. What I find interesting is your friend's reaction. It struck me as though she thinks they are imaginary people you talk to or something. lol

Nope not at all. I have several friends that I talk to on the phone and have met online to begin with. It has lead to meeting in person and becoming fast friends. Now I do not just give my number out to anyone it has to be someone I have talked to for awhile and built some kind of trust with. After three years you would know if this person was a threat to you or not. I consider it a new level to our relationship.

For me, giving out phone numbers or emails or even real name is not a good idea if I don't know the person good enough. But if I do, I wouldn't mind. I actually prefer emails rather than phones.

Although I have made some online friends throughout the years, it was rarely something as personal as to warrant exchange of phone numbers. I think I have talked over the phone with about 2 people I met online, not more. And yes, giving my phone number makes me a bit nervous. I've heard of and witnessed many things happening because of that and I don't really need that. But this is, of course a very personal opinion, and I also know people that talk on the phone to many people that they meet online. I don't go on chats either unless it's from some of my groups where I already know the people.

I have talked to quite a few of my online friends on the phone, and I don't think it's weird, nor does it make me nervous. I've never been much of a phone talker (I MUCH prefer face-to-face) but it IS nice to get the sense of someone's voice. SKYPE is nice too, if you don't mind the short delay in transmission. Sometimes we also write to each other by snail mail, just to add a different "dimension" to the relationship. I've probably met over 100 people in person, whom I first knew online. That may sound like a HUGE number, but I've been online since 1994, so it's spread out across 13 years. The vast majority of those meetings have been positive.

I have given out my cell phone number for business purposes recruiting for Avon and all. But I don't talk to anyone on the phone or give anyone I meet online just to chat. If they want to change we can always use the voice chat feature through an IM. That way I also don't have to call long distance. There are some crazy people out there in this world. It can be dangerous for people you don't know to have your number. People play games online with other people sometimes so you never know what you are really going to get.

For myself I'm not a phone person, I don't like talking on the phone so I don't usually give out my number. Recently though when I was in the hospital I got a call there from one of my on-line friends. She tracked down my parents phone number using the information I'd shared over the years and was able to call me at the hospital. I was surprised but it was great at the same time. It was neat. I do have many friends that I've known for years on line but I don't have their number or vice versa. It's not that I care if they have it it's just I don't really like to talk on the phone. I'd rather IM with people. I know I'm weird. However if they asked for it I'd give it to them.

I would say at first it might not be the best thing to do. But after 3 years, it is surely ok. I would think that after talking to someone for 3 years on the Internet, it would create a good feeling of trust and integrity. If giving out your number turns out to become a bad situation, you can always change the number. Who knows, you may end up meeting in person someday and become life long friends. Only you can decide if it is worth the risk. I think it depends on how well you trust people overall, as it relates to your own experiences. Not what you hear from the news or others.

I believe it is personal preference and what fits your comfort zone. I wouldn't give out my home phone number to anyone that I didn't think I knew pretty well but 3 years seems a long time to me to have never talked to each other over the phone...I think by 3 years you would have a sense about the type of person you are dealing with. If they aren't who you think and they've been fooling you for 3 years..they deserve a phone number for the effort!!!!LOL..I know people who exchange numbers within a few days of meeting someone online...and I know those who would never dream of ever giving their number to that person. So it's back to my opening statement..it's up to the person's personal preferences and their comfort zone...I would, myself, be very cautious but can't say I would never do it...I have a relative that suffered alot from giving her number to the wrong person...and it has happened several times..but to each his own!!! :)

I've never done it before, I was asked to give my number but never did.. I believe that in order for me to give my number to a stranger I have to be sure I would like to know this person more... otherwise, I never will give my number.. I think it's the same as giving your number to people you meet for the first time, you have to be sure before doing it..

I haven't done this yet but I think I would. I wouldn't give out a landline number to anyone because I would be afraid that they would do a reverse number look up and know where I live. That would be really creepy! I would probably give out my number though because I only have a cell and I don't think there is anyway to trace that back to my address.

I have alot of online friends ,some of them are from mylot,and sometimes I have been asked for my numbers, I do not give my numbers to people that I have not meet them face to face, I think it is not really good to do this as I do not fully understand those people online. I am also a shy woman which I may feel strange when I am talking to someone that I have not seen before.It is better to chat with each other by words online.

I never actually gave out my number or got a number from an online friend just yet. This recently has come up though with one of my online friends. Welp, here it is. I am a guy N she is a girl. Guys like girls. N if she let's N wants me to call her then that is great cause it is FUN to talk on the phone. Talking on the phone adds more to the relationship. You hear their voice! I mean I'm not sure how great it will be or anything, but I'm willing to give it a try. In real life, I'm asking girls for their numbers all the time. So, why not have fun N see wat happens? It is easy for me to answer this because I am a guy though! A woman should be more skeptical about giving her number out online. Well, since I've been typing so long can't I call you lecanis? Ok wats your number? (this is a joke ;) lolz)

i do not have any online friends. if i did i don't think that i would talk to them on the phone. that kind of freaks me out especially since you really do not know who they are. i guess everyone is entitled to their own opinion though.

My current man is the one that I met online, we met in a chat room then started instant messageing and talking on the phone, and we developed a very loving relationship and we agreed to meet each other in a public place and we both brought friends with us. I traveled 700 miles and ended up spending the whole week with him, he then asked if I would be interested in moving closer and I did, I packed up a house I lived in for 10 years in one week and moved up north close to where I am now and we got a place together and have been together ever since. so meeting and chatting on the phone there is not harm in it if done right and safely.

Once I've gotten to know someone, I have no problem giving out my number. I'm not a big phone person period, never have been. We didn't have a telephone at my house when I was growing up, so that might be the reason for it. But I see nothing at all strange about chatting on the telephone with an online friend. I feel it's like the next progression. I think, perhaps your coworker believes that online friends are not really friends at all and would prefer to keep that "online" distance. Sort of like me and my work friends. THe friends that I have at work (or had a work in this case) are people that probably know everything about me. But I have never associated with them outside of work. I guess it's along the same scale.

I am very careful about giving my number out. I have had situations, where someone I haven't even gotten to know, has asked me for my number. I have declined. I did once give my number out, but it was a support group for my illness, and I had been talking to the person for sometime. It worked out and we have become friends. In fact when I heard her voice, we had an immediate connection. But I would be very careful, and am still very careful.

I had a bad experience with a single mother I met online who was moving to Ireland right around the same time I did. We were both on a 'how do I do it' message board and we ended up exchanging phone numbers. That was bad enough, but she was one of those people who makes sure disaster surrounds her and we ended up helping her pack the day before she moved. It was even worse when we were in Ireland, as she lived only half an hour away from us (the same in the US before we moved). It all went on about six months before her disasters finally caught up with her to the point I couldn't deal with her anymore and pulled away. Luckily she moved some time after, but not before a very creepy incident of her looking through oyr downstairs window and then standing at the bus stop across the street until the bus came. That seemed like an eternity! And the weirdest pasrt was she never knocked on the door that day, I just looked down and saw her hamds cupped around her eyes and her trying to see in one of our front windows. So, after that, I wouldn't give out a number or address again.

In all honesty, I was totally afraid to give out my number to anyone from the net. Now though, there are about 4 people that have my number, but I only talk to 2 of those people on a semi-regular basis. Talk to one of them every day, even after talking on the net when we need to conserve minutes. I still don't fully trust giving out any of my numbers, because I'm still a bit skeptical about it, but the ones that have gotten it I've known for at least a year now. I take enjoyment being able to talk to my friends like that, since there's usually not much going on here at home besides the kids. It's fun to get different takes on things, too, and sometimes really great advice. The voice tells so much more than mere typing alone can do, and you know better if what the person is telling you is believable or not.