844-640-9714 | 18446409714 - Robocaller Warning! (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.

A robocall warning is an indication from your phone that you might be receiving a scam call. You will see these robocaller warnings where the contact name or phone number would usually be displayed when receiving a call.

Robotexts – text messages generated through autodialing – are also considered a type of call and fall under all robocall rules. As text messages generally go to mobile phones, robotexts require the called party's prior express consent.

In a 4-to-1 vote, the Federal Communications Commission approved regulations that explicitly say that telemarketing robocalls are allowed only if the actual seller, not just the telemarketing company, has gotten written consent from the specific consumer.

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.

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.

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.

A robocall can't hack your phone. However, scammers and other threat actors can use them to trick you into downloading malware on your device. For example, a robocall may trick you into visiting a malicious website designed to deliver Trojans or spyware.

Spam callers can hide international numbers with ID spoofing. These one-ring calls are bait — the fraud happens when you call back the spam number. If you must call back after a missed call, check the area code to ensure it's in the United States.

There is no universal number to block spam calls — it depends on your phone carrier. T-Mobile users can prevent robocalls for free by dialing #662# and turning on the Scam ID and Scam Block features. AT&T customers can block unwanted calls by dialing *61, or by dialing *60 on their landline.

How to identify a fake text message? ›

The final rule provides: Consumers may revoke prior express consent, including prior express written consent, to receive robocalls and robotexts by using any reasonable method to clearly express a desire not to receive further calls or text messages from the caller or sender.

In a December 2023 order, the FCC claims to have closed the “lead generator loophole” by adopting rules requiring marketers to obtain consumer consent to receive robocalls or robotexts “one seller at a time.” Once the rules take effect, businesses and websites that generate leads, such as comparison shopping websites, ...

Just one unwelcome call can be harassing, though a single misdial or "wrong number" call might not rise to the level of harassment. It's a good idea to tell the recipient of such a call that you accidentally misdialed the number.

Most such calls are generated by a cold call telemarketing operation's dialer software, which makes many calls automatically and sometimes does not have an agent immediately available to handle an answered call. As a result the called party hears silence ("dead air"), followed by the call being disconnected.

If you answer the phone and stay on the line until the scammer says something, it notes that your phone is in service. Even if you ask, no one will take you off the list or add you to a 'do not call' list. You'll end up getting more calls from more scammers. The best thing you can do is not answer the call at all.

These calls are referred to as 'robocalls,' which are automated telephone calls that call thousands of numbers. When the other end of the line is silent, it could actually be an automated computer system that's calling for the purpose of building a list of humans to target for theft.