I have informed many a salesperson that if they can not be trusted with something as simple as a phone number that they certainly cannot be trusted with my business.

Hense one reason I stop answering my phone, unless I have them already in my system. 

Today, I do what all the expects keep advising - Text Them!

If they reply back, great. If not I just add them to my SPAM list and BLOCK...

With due respect Jim, there are a gazillion annoying practices by phone solicitors that we could conceivably talk about.   Do we really want to start asking if deceptive practices are good idea as though genuine discussion is warranted?  

Absolutely deceptive ... and I get them frequently. I would not do business with those people or companies. 

I get them all the time and I do feel the spoofing of numbers is dishonest Jim Patton . It's the wrong foot to get a relationship off on and would make me skeptical of working with them at all.

Have had that happen as well Jim, except the phone number was of a wonderful agent who passed away several years ago from cancer (I was curious as to who it might be).

Needless to say, I refused to talk any further after letting him know the number he was calling from was a dead person's. In my opinion, it is deceptive!

Yes it is deceptive and it happens all the time. All these calls go to silence and are spam calls automatically.

I see it as deceptive, and any company that has to resort to that tactic is not worthy of my business.

In answer to your question, I would not do business with a company that offers a product which is designed to deceived people.

I get lots of spam phone calls. My phone blocks most of them and sends them to voice mail and does not even ring. Most do not leave messages. 

Many of the spam calls have local numbers.

If they are not in my data base, they are blocked.

Do I worry that I am missing an important call? No. If the caller is legit, they will leave a message and I will call them back.

I see it as deceptive and also ineffective because most of us will not take calls from numbers we don't recognize whether they are local or not. Leave a message let us know what the hell you want. We're not getting on your list.

Salespeople, spammers, scammers et al have been employing this technique for some time.  For a minimal investment, you can buy dozens of phone numbers with different area codes.   Then target your calls using the "appropriate" area code.

Deceptive, and it worked for about a month until local numbers became the main ones to avoid.  As with most of this tech, it's great for the first person to use it, and becomes irrelevant and a waste of money within months of scaling it.

I think they are deceptive, as they are they are letting you think you are receiving a local call so you will answer it. 

Jim Patton, I hate those calls, especially the ones where it looks like I'm calling myself (true story)

Well, because 919 phone numbers are hard to get, they often get those that are out of the area like 252 or 910. I don't answer those. I put my phone on the do not call list and I still get spammed constantly.

I don't answer those nor the new ones starting with V  from the electronic dialers. 

Expect a rocky road when they get off to a rocky start! PASS!

I wouldn't know, I never answer their calls and block'em soon after they do call and hang up or leave a message. If your name isn't in my phone or your name is Potential Spam, I do not answer. Too many auto-dialers and AI these days to bother about it.

The answer to your question is: Yes, it is deceptive, and it worked sorry to say! Think of it as an arms race. We up our private security and they find a way around it. It goes on and on. Interesting to note that retailers and the like insist on your email and phone number. Some offer incentives to have it. Scammers meanwhile bide their time. They will eventually hack and grab the data. If we refuse to give info, we are told you cannot be reached if a problem, to your detriment.  Perhaps two phone numbers and two email? One for the public and one for friends etc? The world is changing

I have been getting many spam calls every day, and lately haven't been answering.

How things have changed! First we wouldn't answer any call outside our area. Then we would only answer our local #'s. Now, we just don't answer anything.

It's deceptive & should be illegal.

If they have to start with deception, I'm out!

Matters not regarding deceptive practice.
As the other comments suggest, either one is in the practice of answering their phone or they are not.
The only real question is 'Did you do what they wanted?"
If you did, that IS the answer.
ALL marketing is about getting the public to do what you want them to do.
Our choice is to ignore what we prove to be true or find a way to make the same principles work for us.
For most of the population phones are not devices to be answered. Only old people feel compelled to say "Hello." If the number is not in the device, they won't be answered.
When I get those calls, and I have time available, I follow the cookie crumbs and find the who, what, when and why behind it. Most of these calls are appointment setters using those autodial systems KW advocated for a few years ago.
That is why I love QR codes. 

If a company starts off a relationship with a lie, what will they be like if you engage them?  Spoofing a number is a lie.

When people started to keep their phone numbers even when they moved out of state, area codes lost a lot of their meaning.  Based on area code, you really don't know where a person is calling from anymore.  

they have to call the land line to get an answer (the office)

I do not care for any of those tactics.

Yes, and it should not be allowed.  It's very irritating not to be able to answer your phone without getting these calls.

I don't want to be sold anything- and I surely don't want to work with a company that starts with deception. Whether or not I answer the phone, is less relevant than will I even consider doing business with them- which would be a hard no.

Verizon has done a great job of show "SPAM" as caller ID on many of these calls.