Learn About Unknown Phone Calls and Your Options

Understanding Unknown Phone Calls: What They Are and Why They Happen

Unknown phone calls are calls from numbers you don't recognize. They come from phone numbers not saved in your contacts, and you may have no idea who is calling or why. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Americans received over 4.7 billion robocalls in 2021 alone. By 2023, that number had grown even larger, with spam and unwanted calls becoming a major problem for households across the country.

Unknown calls come from many different sources. Some are from legitimate businesses trying to reach you about accounts, appointments, or purchases you've made. Others are from scammers trying to trick you into giving money or personal information. Many are automated robocalls that dial thousands of numbers at once, looking for people to target.

The types of unknown calls include: telemarketing calls from companies selling products or services, debt collection calls from agencies trying to recover money owed, fraud and scam calls trying to steal your information or money, robocalls using automated messages or prerecordings, spoofed calls where the caller ID shows a fake number (often making it look like a local or trusted number), and legitimate business calls from banks, doctors, or other services you actually use.

Technology has made it easier for callers—both legitimate and fraudulent—to reach many people quickly. Phone numbers can be spoofed, meaning a caller can make their number appear to be something it's not. This makes it harder to know who is really calling. Scammers often use this tactic to make you think a call is from a government agency, your bank, or a company you trust.

Practical Takeaway: Not every unknown call is a scam, but many are. Learning to identify different types of unknown calls and knowing your options puts you in control. The first step is understanding that you have choices about how to handle these calls.

Recognizing Common Scams and Fraudulent Calls

Scammers use phone calls to steal money and personal information from victims. Knowing what these calls sound like can protect you. Common scams include impersonation calls where someone pretends to be from the IRS, Social Security Administration, or another government agency claiming you owe money or have a legal problem; tech support scams where callers claim your computer has a virus and ask you to give them remote access; grandparent scams where someone poses as a family member in emergency needing money; prize or lottery scams claiming you've won something you never entered; and utility scams where callers claim to be from your electric or water company threatening to shut off service.

The FTC reported that in 2022, people lost over $8.6 billion to fraud overall, with phone scams playing a major role. Older adults are targeted at higher rates, with people over 60 reporting losses averaging around $1,400 per scam. However, scammers target people of all ages.

Red flags that signal a call might be a scam include: the caller demands payment immediately or threatens legal action, they ask for personal information like your Social Security number, bank account details, or passwords, they pressure you to act quickly without time to think or verify, they claim to be from a government agency but you didn't initiate contact with them, they ask you to pay with gift cards, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency, the caller ID shows a number that looks local but you don't know who it is, they have an unusual accent or background noise that sounds like a call center, or they ask you to stay on the line while you go get your wallet or checkbook.

Legitimate businesses and government agencies have specific practices. The IRS will never call you first to demand payment—they send letters. Social Security Administration officials won't threaten arrest over the phone. Your bank won't ask you to confirm passwords or full account numbers over the phone. Real government agencies and established companies give you ways to verify their identity and always allow you time to check before giving any information.

Practical Takeaway: If a call feels wrong, it probably is. Hang up and call the company or agency back using a number you find yourself on their official website or your bank statement. This simple step stops most scams.

Steps to Take When You Receive an Unknown Call

When your phone rings with an unknown number, you have several options for how to respond. The safest first step is not to answer calls from numbers you don't recognize. Let them go to voicemail. If it's important, the caller will leave a message. This simple habit blocks many scams immediately because scammers often hang up rather than leave messages.

If you do answer an unknown call, listen carefully but don't give information. You can say "Who is this?" or "Can you tell me what this is about?" Do not confirm your name, address, phone number, or any personal details. Scammers sometimes record a "yes" response and use it later to forge your voice authorization for charges. If the caller claims to be from a company you use, tell them you'll call the company back at the official number on your statement or website.

Never press buttons or say anything when a robocall plays a message. Pressing buttons or saying "yes" to automated questions can flag your number as active, leading to more calls. Hang up immediately instead.

If it's a legitimate caller, they will understand why you want to verify their identity before giving information. Real businesses expect this. Here's a concrete example: A call comes in claiming to be from your bank about suspicious activity. Instead of giving information, you hang up and call the number on the back of your actual bank card. The bank confirms whether they called. This takes five minutes and keeps your account safe.

Document information about unwanted calls if you receive them repeatedly. Write down the date, time, number (if shown), and what the caller said. This information is useful if you report the calls to authorities.

Practical Takeaway: Your default action should be: don't answer, let it go to voicemail, don't confirm information, and call back using a verified number. This approach stops the vast majority of fraud.

Tools and Features to Block or Screen Unknown Calls

Modern phones have built-in tools to help you manage unknown calls. Both Android and iPhone phones include call-blocking and filtering features. On iPhones, you can enable "Silence Unknown Callers," which sends calls from numbers not in your contacts directly to voicemail while still allowing calls from people you know. Android phones have "Spam and abuse" settings that filter suspected spam calls. Both systems continue to improve these features based on reports from users.

Your phone service provider also offers options. Verizon offers "Call Filter," AT&T offers "Call Protect," and T-Mobile offers "Scam Shield." These services are often free or available for a small monthly charge. They use databases of known scam numbers to block or warn you about suspicious calls before they reach you. Some providers automatically block known robocalls, while others send them to a separate folder so you can review them later.

Third-party apps can provide additional protection. Apps like RoboKiller, Nomorobo, and Whoscall work alongside your phone's built-in features. These apps use artificial intelligence and databases to identify spam and scam calls. Some offer free versions with basic protection, while others charge monthly fees for expanded features. Before downloading any app, check reviews from other users and verify it comes from a legitimate developer.

Do-Not-Call registries exist to reduce telemarketing calls, though they don't stop all unwanted calls. The National Do-Not-Call Registry allows you to add your number for free at donotcall.gov. This stops most legitimate telemarketers, though it doesn't affect scammers (who ignore the registry anyway) or callers you have a business relationship with. You can register by phone at 1-888-382-1222.

Another option is creating a whitelist—a list of numbers you trust. Some phone systems let you set rules so only contacts in your list can reach you, with all others going to voicemail. This takes more effort but provides maximum control.

Practical Takeaway: Combine your phone's built-in features with your carrier's free protection service. This pairing catches most unwanted calls without requiring you to download additional apps or pay extra fees.

What to Do If You've Already Been Scammed or Given Information

If you've already shared personal information