Why Do I Keep Getting Calls From Random Numbers?

Why Do I Keep Getting Calls From Random Numbers?

If your phone continues to ring from random numbers, you’re not alone.

Millions of people experience random calls every day. And most of those calls aren’t accidental. They’re made by automated dialing systems (often referred to as robocalls) intended to call as many different phone numbers as quickly as possible with the lowest possible cost.

Identifying why you keep getting calls from random numbers is the first step to eliminating them.

The Short Answer

You continue to receive random calls because scammers and telemarketers employ automated dialing systems to contact hundreds of thousands to millions of numbers simultaneously, and because your phone number is likely sourced from one of the following places: data breaches, data broker lists, an app or website signup, or previous interactions where you provided your number or it was shared or sold. In addition, in some cases, the callers are simply verifying that your number exists or is active; and when you hang up on a random call, they’ve determined that it is a live number.

When you hang up, that’s not a mistake. It’s a test.

Why Are You Receiving Random Calls?

While there’s no single reason you’re receiving random calls, most unwanted calls fall under one or two categories.

Scams and Telemarketing

The simplest explanation for why you’re receiving random calls is that scammers and telemarketers rely upon volume.

Because automated dialing systems can contact thousands of numbers per hour, scammers and telemarketers use them to find anyone who will either pick up, press a button on their phone, or stay on the line long enough to verify that a human answered.

Some of the most common scams that involve random calls include:

  • Debt relief scams
  • Extended car warranties
  • Insurance plans
  • Vacations or cruise packages
  • Bank or government impersonation

The number becomes more valuable to the scammer or telemarketer as soon as someone answers the call, even just to say “hello.”

Validation Calls

Some calls only serve one purpose.

The purpose of these calls is to confirm that your number is active and functioning properly.

If you answer a random call and the person hangs up right away, it is very likely they were validating your number to confirm it connects to a real person. After they validate your number, it’s sent to other call lists.

As a result, taking unknown calls may actually make the issue worse.

Data Breaches and Data Brokers

It’s safe to assume that your phone number is currently being circulated online.

Every year, large data breaches reveal personal data including phone numbers. Those numbers are then sold and resold through data brokers and lead marketplaces.

Regardless of whether or not you ever published your number publicly, it could still show up in those databases due to:

  • Retail purchases
  • Subscriptions and apps
  • Services related to financial institutions
  • Accounts that you may have forgotten you had

The data broker marketplace quickly disseminates your number.

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Trigger Leads From Applications

At times, the random calls start after taking some kind of action.

For example, applying for credit, insurance, or loans, or renting an apartment can result in what are known as “trigger leads.” Lenders or rental platforms can sell your contact information to third parties who will immediately begin calling.

These actions can occur within minutes of completing an application.

Though the calls seem random, they are directly associated with that specific event.

Mistaken Numbers and Misdialed Calls

Rarely, a random call is simply mistaken.

A person has dialed the wrong number. A company has recycled an older database. A robocalling system has malfunctioned.

These kinds of errors do occur, though they represent a relatively small portion of the repeated random calls. If you continue to receive unwanted calls, it’s likely due to automation.

Why the Calls Continue

The largest reason that unwanted calls continue to arrive at your phone is engagement.

When you answer, decline, press a button, or call back a random caller, you’re indicating that your number is responsive. When that happens, automated systems track that responsiveness.

Once your number is identified as responsive, it can end up on “sucker lists.” Those lists are distributed or sold to various scammers because those lists contain numbers that are more likely to respond.

The result is that you receive additional calls and less of a chance to eliminate the unwanted calls.

Ways to Stop Getting Random Calls

While it’s unlikely that you’ll completely eliminate unwanted calls, you can significantly reduce them.

Don’t Pick Up Calls From Unknown Numbers

If you do not know the number that is calling, allow the call to go to voicemail.

Legitimate callers will typically leave you a voicemail. Robocallers almost never do.

The best way to respond to an unknown number is silence.

Report and Block Spam Calls

Blocking your phone learns call patterns.

Reporting calls also helps carriers and regulatory agencies identify and prosecute abusive practices.

In the U.S., you can report unwanted calls to the Federal Trade Commission at www.donotcall.gov. While such reporting does not immediately stop the calls, it contributes to enforcement actions against those responsible for them.

Utilize Features on Your Phone

All modern phones have built-in tools that filter out spam and robocalls.

On Apple devices, you can activate Silence Unknown Callers, which will direct calls from unknown numbers directly to voicemail.

On Android devices, you can enable Block Spam and Scam Calls to automatically filter many robocalls.

Those tools won’t block every call. However, they will limit the number of unwanted calls you receive.

Wherever Possible, Be Cautious Sharing Your Number

Each form counts.

Before providing your phone number on any form or app, ask yourself whether it is absolutely necessary. Many sign-up forms include optional phone number fields that can feed your number into a marketing database.

Sharing your phone number as infrequently as possible will decrease your overall exposure over time.

When Random Calls Become a Serious Privacy Problem

If you begin to receive more random calls than before, or the calls are relentless, it likely means that there is a larger issue with your data exposure.

Your phone number may be available on numerous data broker websites and thus available to marketers and scammers. In such cases, blocking alone may not be sufficient to reduce the calls you receive.

Reduction of calls in the long term may require removal of your phone number from the databases where it is being sold or shared.

Key Takeaways

  • Most random calls originate from automated robocall systems
  • Robocalls are primarily used to sell products, collect money, or validate active numbers
  • Data breaches and data brokers create large amounts of phone number exposure
  • Responding to unknown calls can potentially increase future spam
  • Blocking, reporting, and ignoring unknown callers can greatly reduce the volume of calls.
  • Limiting the amount of times you share your number can also help to limit long-term exposure to unwanted calls

Conclusion

Random calls are rarely random.

They are typically generated by automated systems that test, monitor, and sell phone numbers at scale. Although you cannot prevent all unwanted calls, understanding why they happen allows you to take charge of your response.

By avoiding responses to unwanted calls, using built-in phone tools, and being careful about how and where you share your phone number online, you can reduce the number of unwanted calls you receive and maintain your privacy.

Quiet phones are a result of several deliberate actions taken regularly.

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