If you get a call that’s disconnected right away, it’s probably a spam platform trying to automatically dial numbers and see if they’re active. You can protect yourself from this using standard smartphone features. On an iPhone, go to Settings → Phone and enable the “Silence Unknown Callers” option. On an Android, you can block private numbers and enable the “Do Not Disturb” mode, which will allow you to choose which contacts you receive calls from. There are also third-party filters like TrueCaller and Hiya. Cybersecurity experts say that if you get a suspicious call, you should hang up right away. Don’t press any numbers and don’t say “yes” (especially if they ask you, “Can you hear me?”) because fraudsters record your voice to use in financial scams.
Unwanted calls are already a major problem. Some people get more than a dozen of these calls a day. And a lot of them are scams.
The Daily Galaxy says that even one of the most common scenarios—where you answer a call and it hangs up immediately—is not harmless. Call centers use automated dialing systems that ring a bunch of numbers at once to keep their operators busy. If you pick up and there are no free operators, the system disconnects the call. This silence means the line is active and shows the time when someone answered. We can sell this information or use it to improve our targeting in the future.
Smartphones already have tools that let you block unwanted calls. On the iPhone, the “Block Unknown Callers” feature blocks calls from numbers you’ve never contacted and aren’t saved in your contacts. They’ll be sent straight to voicemail and pop up in your recent calls list. To turn it on, go to Settings, tap Apps and Phone, then look for the toggle in the Calls section.
Android phones have a similar feature for private or unknown numbers, although calls from numbers not in your contacts will still ring through.
There’s also a workaround: set your phone to ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode, but allow calls from saved contacts.
Both methods have the same drawback. You can also block calls from a doctor’s office or a delivery service if you don’t know the number.
If you get an unwanted call on your iPhone or Android, you can block a number with one tap from the list of recent calls. You can also add numbers to the blocked list manually.
If you want more advanced filtering, there are apps like Numbero, YouMail, Hiya, RoboKiller, and TrueCaller. They match incoming numbers against databases of known spam. They’ll flag calls as spam or telemarketing before you even answer. Apple says that “incoming calls are never shared with third-party developers.” A lot of apps charge a monthly or annual fee, but some offer a free basic tier.
What to do if you get a call from an unknown number
If you get an automated call or a suspicious number on your screen, the regulators and cybersecurity experts agree: hang up. Don’t press the answer button. And please don’t ask to be taken off the list. Don’t press any numbers on the keypad. This will probably just lead to more automated calls. The caller ID can be faked pretty easily. This is called spoofing. People also commonly spoof the number to make it look like it’s from a neighbor by matching the area code and the first six digits with the area code and first six digits of their own number.
Kaspersky, a cybersecurity company, says it’s not a good idea to even talk to them. When someone says “Hello, can you hear me?” at the start of a call, it’s usually because they’re trying to get you to say “Yes.” The company says that fraudsters “can then save a recording of your confirmation and use it for fraudulent activities.”