They call and hang up: why it happens and what to do
You get calls that hang up straight away, sometimes over and over. Find out whether it's a call centre, a check that your line is active, or a scam attempt.
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They call and hang up: why it happens and what to do
The phone rings once or twice and when you answer there's nobody there, or they hang up straight away. These "ghost calls" are among the most reported: the NoCall community maintains a large database of user-contributed reports on numbers that behave this way.
1. What's behind these calls
- Autodiallers: a telemarketing call centre dials more numbers than it has staff free; if nobody's available, the call drops.
- Active-line checks: systems that confirm your number answers, so they can call you later or sell the list.
- Wangiri: a deliberate missed call to get you to call back an expensive premium-rate or international number.
2. Don't call back yet
Be careful with overseas numbers. If the missed call comes from overseas (a number that doesn't start with +61) with a country code you don't recognise, don't call back: the wangiri scam relies on you taking the bait and calling a pay-per-minute number.
3. Check the number on NoCall
Look the number up in NoCall's large spam numbers directory. If other users report the same "call and hang up" pattern, you'll know it's not a call worth returning.
4. Block and report
Block the number from your call history and report it on NoCall to warn other users. If the calls keep coming from different numbers, turn on automatic filtering and see our tools. If they're telemarketing calls, add your number to the Do Not Call Register: it applies to legitimate telemarketers, although some callers are exempt and scammers ignore it.
Why do they call me and hang up straight away?
Most often it's a telemarketing autodialler with no staff free, or a system checking that your line is active so it can call you later. It can also be the start of a wangiri scam.
Should I call back if they ring and hang up?
No, especially if the number is from overseas or unknown: calling back is exactly what the wangiri scam wants, connecting you to a premium-rate number.
How do I stop getting calls that hang up?
Block the number, turn on your phone's spam filter and report the number on NoCall so other users know it's a ghost-call line. If the calls keep coming and your phone provider doesn't help, you can escalate to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO).
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Article details
Editorial content reviewed by NoCall with practical context for spotting suspicious calls and messages.
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