800-292-4512 | 18002924512 - Robocaller Warning! (2024)

FAQs

How to check if a number is a robocall? ›

If you answer the phone and hear a recorded message instead of a live person, it's a robocall. A robocall trying to sell you something is illegal unless the company trying to sell you something got written permission, directly from you, to call you that way.

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.

The National Do Not Call Registry protects landline and wireless phone numbers. 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.

By responding “yes,” people notify robo-callers that their number is an active telephone number that can be sold to other telemarketers for a higher price. This then leads to more unwanted calls.

One way to check if a number is potentially a scam is to use a reverse phone number lookup service. These websites and apps allow you to enter a number and see public information associated with it, such as the registered name, location, and carrier.

Should You Call Back a Spam Number? Never. In many cases, these calls are “one-ring” scams designed to charge you sky-high fees or get you on the phone with a fraudster. Even if you aren't sure if the call was spam, it's best to leave it alone and block the number.

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.

Contrary to popular wisdom, we found that answering calls makes no difference in the number of robocalls received by a phone number.

The most popular method for telemarketers to get your number is to purchase the number from a third-party data provider. There are a myriad of companies who have a variety of information about people. They collect your information through sources such as warranties as well as online purchases.

What is the code to stop robocalls? ›

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.

A good way to deal with unwanted calls is to block them. Blocking software or devices can stop a lot of the unwanted calls you get — like scam calls and illegal robocalls — before they reach you.

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.

Scammers making robocalls will ask some innocuous question. Once the targeted person says “yes,” a recording is made of the response and it is used to sign up the target for unwanted, expensive services.

Your phone can't be hacked just with a regular call — but phone hackers can use fake text messages to infect your phone, and suspicious no caller ID calls may be part of a wider ploy to access your device.

Getting calls and messages from numbers you think are spam? You can now confirm whether that number is spam with Truecaller's Spam Number Lookup! Enter the number in the search bar. Truecaller will show spam stats if it's a spam number, giving a detailed breakdown of their activities.

Apps like Truecaller or Hiya provide caller ID services and spam detection, helping you identify unknown numbers instantly.

If a telephone number is blocked or labeled as a "potential scam" or "spam" on your caller ID, it is possible the number has been spoofed.

Got a call from an unknown number and now you're wondering “who called me from this phone number?” With Truecaller's reverse phone lookup tool, you can now simply type the caller's number in the search bar above and find out who called you within seconds!