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 is 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 is nobody there, or the line goes dead straight away. These "ghost calls" are among the most reported: the NoCall community keeps a large 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 that they can call you later or sell the list.
- Wangiri: a deliberate missed call so that you call back a premium-rate number.
2. Do not call back yet
Watch out for foreign numbers. South African numbers start with +27, or with a single 0 when written the local way. If the missed call comes from an international code you do not recognise, do not call back: the wangiri scam depends on you taking the bait and calling a number that charges per minute.
3. Check the number on NoCall
Look the number up in the NoCall spam numbers directory. 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 history and report it on NoCall to warn other users. If the calls keep coming from different numbers, switch on automatic filtering and read our step-by-step guides.
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 receiving hang-up calls?
Block the number, switch on your phone's spam filter and report the number on NoCall so that other users know it is a ghost-call line. If a company is behind the calls, ask it to remove you from its list; if it carries on, you can complain to the Information Regulator. The National Consumer Commission's National Opt-Out Registry is being phased in, but consumers can only register from May 2027.
Sources and review
Reviewed:
- Complaints - Information Regulator
- NCC launches the national Opt-Out registry to curb unwanted direct marketing - The National Consumer Commission
Numbering, carrier tools, and reporting procedures can change. Verify sensitive steps with the linked primary authority.
Article details
Editorial content reviewed by NoCall with practical context for spotting suspicious calls and messages.
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