They call and hang up: why it happens and what to do
You get calls that hang up straight away, sometimes again and again. Find out whether it is a call centre, an active-line check 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 is nobody there, or they hang up straight away. These "ghost calls" are among the most reported: the NoCall community keeps a database of user reports on numbers that behave this way.
1. What is behind these calls
- Autodialler — a telemarketing call centre dials more numbers than it has free agents; if nobody is available, the call drops.
- Active-line check — systems that check whether your number answers, so they can call you later or sell the list.
- Wangiri — a deliberate missed call to get you to call back a premium-rate number.
2. Do not call back yet
Be careful with foreign numbers. If the missed call comes from an international country code you do not recognise, do not call back: the wangiri scam relies on you taking the bait and calling a premium-rate number.
3. Check the number on NoCall
Look the number up in the NoCall database. If other users report the same "call and hang up" pattern, you know it is not a call worth returning.
4. Block and report
Block the number from your call log and report it on NoCall to warn other users. If the calls keep coming from different numbers, turn on automatic filtering and read our guides on suspicious calls. If they are telemarketing calls, registering your number on the Do Not Call (DNC) Registry cuts down marketing calls from legitimate organisations; scammers ignore it, so keep blocking and reporting.
Why do they call me and hang up straight away?
Most often it is a telemarketing autodialler with no free agents, or a system checking that your line is active so that it can call you later. It can also be the start of a wangiri scam.
Should I call back if they call and hang up?
No, especially if the number is foreign or unknown: calling back is exactly what the wangiri scam wants, because it connects you to a premium-rate number.
How do I stop getting hang-up calls?
Block the number, turn on your phone's spam filter, and report the number on NoCall so that other users know it is a ghost-call line. You can also report suspicious calls through ScamShield.
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Article details
Editorial content reviewed by NoCall with practical context for spotting suspicious calls and messages.
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