Spammers are getting more sophisticated daily, making it tough to telllegitimate and scam calls apart. If you answer a spam call, there's a goodchance you could end up losing money or personal information.
What happens if you answer a spam call? According to a recent study, if youanswer a spam call, the odds are that you'll get scammed. So, it is essential toreport a scam phone number.
This article will cover the following:
- What are spam calls?
- What happens if you answer a spam call?
- Automated and manual solutions to protect yourself from spam calls.
What Happens if You Answer a Spam Call?
Many people wonder what will happen if they answer a spam call. Here's what canhappen:
1. Your Identity Can Be Stolen
Scammers may pretend to be from a legitimate organization or government agencyyou trust and try to get information from you, such as - your Social Securitynumber, credit card number, or bank account number.
They may also ask for your date of birth, your mother's maiden name or otherinformation to steal your identity.
They can use this information to open new accounts in your name, make charges onyour existing accounts, or apply for loans.
2. You May Have to Pay a Hefty Phone Bill
Sometimes, even if you don't answer a scam call, you could still beinadvertently giving money to scammers. That's because many spam calls originatefrom high-cost international phone lines.
If you accidentally call back or connect to one of these numbers, you'll beresponsible for a hefty phone bill. And the scammer on the other end will makemoney off of you. So next time you get a spam call, just let it go to voicemail.
3. Lose Time
Most people know that spam calls are a massive waste of time. Every second youspend on a spam call is a second you could have spent doing somethingproductive. And once those seconds add up, they can negatively impact your life.
4. Risk of Losing Money
Unfortunately, if you fall for scams that target your bank information, you maylose your bank details and money. Be aware of these scams and never give outpersonal banking information to someone who calls you unsolicited to protectyourself.
Banks do not ask for such information over the phone, as they already have yourdetails. Hang up if you suspect a caller, and report the number to theauthorities. By taking these simple precautions, you can protect yourself andyour hard-earned money.
5. Risk of Paying for Things You Never Bought
Scammers may use your stolen card or bank details to buy expensive items youcan't afford, and you'll be stuck with the bill. Worse, you may never evenreceive the purchased items, as the scammers will retain them.
6. Risk of Becoming Spammer's target
If you engage with a spammer, they will likely label you an easy target. Theywill attempt to scam you more frequently, believing you are more likely to fallfor their schemes.
7. Risk of Identity Being Sold
Spammers often sell people's identities to other spammers. So, if you dointeract with a spammer, your information could be distributed to otherscammers, and you will be targeted even more frequently.
It's best to ignore any spammer attempts to reach out, as engaging with themwill only worsen things in the long run.
Getting So Many Spam Calls? Here Are Some Reasons Why
You may be wondering why you've been getting a lot of spam calls lately. Thereare a few reasons why your number might have become a target for scammers.
1. Your Number is Sold in Scammer Groups
One possibility is that your number was sold to a scammer group. These groupsare often created on social media platforms and auction websites, where scammerscan buy and sell lists of phone numbers.
Another reason for the influx of spam calls could be number spoofing, where theyuse a caller ID that looks like a local number but is a dubious overseas call.
2. You May have picked up a Spam Call
Is answering a spam call bad? Yes, spam phone calls are a nuisance, and theyseem to increase in number. If you've been getting a lot of calls from unknownnumbers, there's a good chance you've been targeted by spam callers, as you mayhave answered one of those calls.
3. Your Number is Public
Your number may be public if you're getting a lot of spam calls. There is a fairchance you gave someone your number and passed it along. These calls won't stopunless you make them private again.
Download Community Phone’s FREE Spam Blocking App
Community Phone now offers a free spam-blocking app for iOS devices, providingthe best protection against unwanted calls. It blocks spam calls on your cellphone and landline before either phone rings, giving you peace of mind.
The Community Phone app has advanced features, such as notifications to alertyou about the numbers it blocks. It has been carefully designed to ensurecomplete user satisfaction and convenience.
The Community Phone spam-blocking app is completely free to download from theApple store, ensuring that everyone can protect their phones from annoying spamcalls. Once installed, Community Phone works in the background to monitorincoming calls and blocks any suspicious activity.
The Community Phone app is incredibly easy to use, allowing users to customizesettings according to their preferences. You can choose what type of calls youwant Community Phone to block. Landline users can also set up a whitelist forspecific contacts in the app, so Community Phone's filters will not block them.
Thanks to its advanced algorithms and AI-backed technology, what sets CommunityPhone apart from other spam-blocking apps is its ability to block even unknownnumbers. This ensures complete safety and security while using the CommunityPhone app. In addition, Community Phone has many other features, such asreal-time monitoring, caller name recognition, call stats tracking, and more!
Overall, Community Phone’s FREE Spam Blocking App provides an effective solutionagainst annoying spam calls without compromising performance or reliability. Itsoptimized features and intuitive interface make blocking unwanted calls abreeze!
FAQs
How do I stop getting so many spam calls?
To stop getting spam calls, you can:
- Get the Community Phone spam call-blocker, or get the optional whitelistingservice. Call Community Phone customer care at 866-407-8427 to learn more.
- Register on the National Do Not Call List by calling 1-888-382-1222 (voice)or 1-866-290-4236 (text). Calling from the phone number you want to registerwith is required.
- There is also the option to register at donotcall.gov.
What happens if you call back a spam number?
If you return a spam call, your call will be routed to an expensive overseasnumber. You will be responsible for paying for that call, while the con artistwill pocket the cash. It is, thus, not advisable to call back a number that hasbeen identified as spam. You should block the number and report it.
Should I answer Spam calls?
You should not answer spam calls. Scam artists will see you as a "good target"if you pick up the phone when they contact you and continue bothering you.
Get the Community Phone spam blocker to block 99% of spam calls automatically.
What are spam calls trying to do?
Stealing your money or personal information is the intended goal of thoseannoying "spam" calls. They often pose as reputable businesses in an attempt totrick you. They will also attempt to get private information from you, such asyour bank account or credit card numbers.
Conclusion
Don't become a victim of phone scammers. You must also report the scam phonenumber to prevent further incidences.
Getting the Community Phone automated spam blocker service can be a long-termsolution, as you can block 99% of robocalls. Don't worry about missing importantcalls; they will go straight to voicemail, and you can respond to them after duediligence. Talk to Community Phone's landline specialists now!
