Despite the best efforts of governments and others to reduce the frequency of unwanted calls, they remain a consistent part of all our lives. If you're one of the sufferers, you may be wondering why you're getting so many spam calls and how to stop unwanted calls from disturbing your peace.
The bad news is there are many reasons why you may be dealing with annoying spam calls. The good news is that there's also a lot you can do to prevent them. We'll show you why spam happens and give you step-by-step instructions to make it stop.
Why am I getting so many spam calls?
You might suddenly start receiving spam calls for several reasons, including:
- Data brokers are selling your phone number to spammers.
- Your phone number has been involved in a data breach.
- Scammer groups are sharing your phone number.
- You have answered spam calls in the past.
- You share your phone number publicly.
- Someone is signing you up for spam calls.
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Should I be worried if I get a lot of spam calls?
Spam calls are very common, however, it may be cause for worry if you experience a sudden increase in the number of spam calls you get. This could indicate a deeper problem, such as a vulnerability in your cybersecurity or that your number is being sold by scammer groups.
Is it better to ignore or decline spam calls?
It's better to ignore spam calls. When you decline a call, it can alert the spammer that your phone number is active, prompting them to call you again. If you use a call-blocking tool that uses caller ID, you should never answer calls labelled as spam.
What happens if I answer a spam call?
It's never a good idea to answer spam calls. In the best case, this will simply lead to more spam calls down the line. In the worst cases, it could lead to loss of funds, identity theft, or legal issues, especially if the spam call was fraudulent in nature.
How many spam calls a day is normal?
It's normal for Americans to receive 3 to 4 spam calls a day, on average. However, the rate of spam calls varies greatly from country to country. Data released from Ofcom last week reveals that 3% of people surveyed receive a suspicious text message every day, 6% receive a suspicious call every day and 23% receive at least one suspicious call per month. Despite being common, however, spam calls can be disruptive and harmful, so it's best to block them.
Will spam calls eventually stop?
Spam calls won't stop on their own. However, you can take steps to stop spam calls from reaching you. These include:
- Removing your phone number from data brokers and people search sites;
- Signing up to the national Telephone Preference Service;
- Blocking spam callers using your mobile phone settings;
- Blocking spam callers through your mobile carrier;
- Using spam-filtering apps.
Why are spam calls so hard to stop?
Spam calls are hard to stop because your phone number is likely exposed in multiple places across the web, from data brokers to your online accounts. While you can make legitimate organisations stop calling, the only way to stop illegal callers is by making your phone number private.
Why do spammers call and not say anything?
Silent spam calls are usually telemarketing cold calls. This happens when the company uses predictive diallers which make many calls at the same time. Sometimes there aren't available agents to handle the call, resulting in a silent call that quickly disconnects.
This article is an excerpt from 'Why am I getting spam calls? (and how to stop them) which features on the Incogni blog. You can read the full article here.
Copyright 2024. Sponsored article made possible by Incogni.
FAQs
Why am I getting so many spam calls? If you have answered a number of robocalls, it may be because the spam caller sold your number to other scammers or telemarketing companies. Remember, if the call is important enough, the caller will leave a voicemail message.
Can a scammer get info from answering my phone? ›
Although cybercriminals cannot steal your information just by you answering a spam call, you should still avoid answering them to prevent them from targeting you more and falling for their scams.
Can I get hacked if I answer a spam call? ›
Can you get hacked by answering a phone call? It's impossible to get hacked by simply answering a phone call made through your network service provider. But that doesn't mean a phone call can't be exploited to compromise your security via a social engineering attack.
Is it better to decline or ignore spam calls? ›
It's better to ignore spam calls. When you decline a call, it can alert the spammer that your phone number is active, prompting them to call you again. If you use a call-blocking tool that uses caller ID, you should never answer calls labelled as spam.
How do I stop repeated spam calls? ›
You can register your numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry at no cost by calling 1-888-382-1222 (voice) or 1-866-290-4236 (TTY). You must call from the phone number you wish to register. You can also register at add your personal wireless phone number to the national Do-Not-Call list donotcall.gov.
What happens if I accidentally answered a spam call? ›
You accidentally answered a scam call in the past
They will then mark your number as “live” and you'll receive more and more calls as they try to reach you using different numbers. It can be hard to tell if you're dealing with a scammer — but if you accidentally answer a spam call, you should hang up immediately.
What happens if I answer a spam call and say hello? ›
Many robocall scams start with a question like “Hello, can you hear me?” to which people may reply “yes” without thinking. They can then store the recording of your confirmation and use it for fraudulent activities. So, avoid saying yes where possible.
What are the signs of a phone being hacked? ›
Poor performance, unusual activity, and device crashes are all signs of a compromised phone. If you find apps running sluggishly, or your phone takes too long to perform relatively basic functions, these could be hints that malware is taking up your system's resources.
Can anything bad happen from answer a spam call? ›
The bottom line: In most cases, simply answering a spam or robocall won't put you at serious risk. As a rule of thumb, never provide information, money, or access to anyone who calls you. If in doubt, always hang up and contact the company or agency directly using the contact information provided on its website.
Does blocking spam calls do any good? ›
Call blocking can help stop robocalls from scammers. But some robocalls might still get through. If you get an illegal robocall, hang up and don't call back. Don't press a number, which could lead to more robocalls.
If you receive one of these automated calls, especially one from a company you've never heard of or never done business with, you're often presented with two options: press “1” to speak to a customer service rep (though the people on the phone are usually doing you a disservice), or press “2” to be removed from the ...
Can I silent the spam calls? ›
To turn on Silence Unknown Callers, go to Settings > Phone, then scroll down, tap Silence Unknown Callers, and turn on the feature. Calls from unknown numbers are silenced and sent to your voicemail, and appear in your recent calls list.
Why is my phone getting spam all of a sudden? ›
There are many ways spammers get hold of your cell phone number so they can send SMS spam and sales texts: They may use technology to generate numbers automatically — so even if you have a brand-new number, you can still receive both robocalls and robotexts. Social media sites sell your data.
How do I remove my number from the spam list? ›
Yes. To remove your number, call 1-888-382-1222 from the phone you want to remove. Your number will be off the Registry the next day. Businesses and organizations have to update their telemarketing lists within 31 days.
Does blocking spam calls help? ›
Call blocking can help stop robocalls from scammers. But some robocalls might still get through. If you get an illegal robocall, hang up and don't call back. Don't press a number, which could lead to more robocalls.
How do I get rid of spam call settings? ›
On your device, open the Phone app . Caller ID and spam. Turn See caller ID & spam on or off. Optional: To block spam calls on your phone, turn on "Filter spam calls." You don't get missed call or voicemail notifications, but filtered calls are in your call history, and you can check your voicemail.
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