800-232-8931 (2024)

FAQs

What happens if you answer a robocall but don t say anything? ›

If you answer the call, your number is considered 'good' by the scammers, even if you don't necessarily fall for the scam. They will try again because they know someone on the other side is a potential victim of fraud. The less you answer, the fewer robocalls you will receive.

Pressing “2” may work, but more than likely it does nothing more than end the call; and you'll probably continue receiving calls.

You can register your numbers on the national Do Not Call list 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.

If you are still receiving unwanted calls from legitimate companies after 31 days of being on the National Do Not Call Registry, file a complaint online or by phone at 1-888-382-1222.

Avoid Falling Victim To Spam Calls

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.

By picking up the phone you are essentially telling robocallers that your number is active and they could in turn sell your number to other telemarketers. It's important not to answer calls from unknown numbers.

You'll be targeted by even more scammers

So they'll keep calling you, sometimes from different phone numbers, trying to get you to answer again. They'll try different schemes, too, as they think you might be an easy target. You can avoid this situation by blocking calls from unknown numbers.

Spam calls can't hack your phone, because signals from cellular service providers aren't able to hack phones themselves. But spam calls may try to trick you into giving up information, which is where the danger lies.

Once users press 9, it connects the call to a representative who also pretends to be from the custom department. Usually, they try to threaten/blackmail users by telling them that there's something illegal in their package or asking them to pay some amount in the name of tax. And, this is where the scam takes place.

Why am I receiving so many more spam calls? Usually, you receive spam calls because your number has been sold to scammers. They try their best to defraud you by calling you repeatedly. Make sure you report these scammers regularly to Better Business Bureau and Federal Trade Commission.

What is the best spam call blocker? ›

The most common reasons that numbers are marked as Spam or Scam Likely include: Call recipients manually label a call as spam. Inconsistent call volume from a given phone number. A high number of short calls, i.e., just a few seconds long.

If you have a digital home phone with AT&T, *61 blocks unwanted calls as part of their free Call Blocking service. Press *61 then the “call” button to add the last call you received to your blocked call list. To stop receiving calls from all private numbers (calls without caller ID), dial *77.

Dial #662# from your phone to turn on Scam Block, or download the free Scam Shield app in your phone's respective app store. With Scam Shield enabled, you'll get full caller ID, scam reporting, scam blocking before your phone ever rings and the option to mark numbers as favorites so they still ring your phone.

The star code *60 is used by many network providers to help block spam calls. Simply dial *60 and follow the instructions to block either the most recent number or a specific number. Check with your provider to see if they offer this service. The star code *77 automatically rejects blocked or unidentified numbers.

Testing phone numbers: Silent calls are a way for scammers to test which phone numbers are more likely to have a human response. By making a sound or responding in any way, you confirm that your number is active and may be more susceptible to scams [1].

Spam calls can't hack your phone, because signals from cellular service providers aren't able to hack phones themselves. But spam calls may try to trick you into giving up information, which is where the danger lies.

No, not directly. A hacker can call you, pretending to be someone official, and so gain access to your personal details. Armed with that information, they could begin hacking your online accounts. But they can't break into your phone's software and modify it through phone calls alone.

Hang up the phone. Don't press one to speak to a live operator. And don't press any other number to get off the list. If you respond by pressing any number, it will probably just lead to more robocalls.