Is this an attempt at a scam? What is going on?

[DawnM]

I have now gotten 2 calls in the last few weeks from local numbers.  When I answer they say, "I am calling you back.  Did you need something?"

There is NO outgoing accidental dial, so I know I didn't call them in the first place.

 But then they seem genuine in saying, "Ok, sorry" or "Ok, thanks" and hang up.

Is there an angle?

And before you say, "Well, I don't answer if I don't recognize the number" I do answer sometimes when I am expecting a call from an office or business (as I am now) and I know the call may be coming from the guy on the truck's cell phone, which is different than the business's phone number.

 

[vonfirmath]

My husband has taught me not to answer calls using the verbiage "Yes?" in case someone is recording to use it as affirmative for something. I don't know if that is common or not.

 

The other day I got a call from someone calling an entire DIFFERENT number (not just "one number off" from mine. And their screen showed that was the number they'd dialed so something must have gotten crossed in the workings.

 

[Chris in VA]

We've been getting weird calls, too, where someone will start a schpiel, and then it will stop unfinished. It's from local numbers. 

My husband says many calls (like yours, and like mine) are just to see if someone picks up. Then the company who sells lists of numbers to telemarketers can say they are all "live" numbers, where people actually live (instead of disconnected numbers). So, they are checking to see if the numbers "work" and putting them on distro lists to sell. 

[Forget-Me-Not]

Your number has been spoofed and used by someone else. I frequently get calls from what looks like a local number with my same area code and prefix, but it always turns out to be “Hilton resorts” calling me with a “fabulous offer”. 

[TheReader]

7 minutes ago, Forget-Me-Not said:

Your number has been spoofed and used by someone else. I frequently get calls from what looks like a local number with my same area code and prefix, but it always turns out to be “Hilton resorts” calling me with a “fabulous offer”. 

Yes, this. 

I get calls all the time from a number with same area code & prefix as my own, that are really telemarketers. I also get calls like you got, someone saying they have a missed call from my number. I figure they must have gotten a similar telemarketer call, spoofing my number, and are calling me "back" after that. 

Only rarely have I had a person argue with me when I said No, I didn't actually call them. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/abcnews.go.com/amp/Business/fcc-warns-consumers-phone-scam/story%3fid=46405703

[RootAnn]

Your number was probably spoofed, so these people thought you called them & they really just received a phone call (usually automated)  that seemed like it was from you. They likely didn't pick up the call (which is smart), so they were checking to see if you really called them.

I used to answer all sorts of calls, but now, if I don't know the number, I don't pick up. (Except if I'm expecting a call from my DH. His work # sometimes shows up correctly, sometimes as "unavailable," and this week it showed up as NU Beginnings. Weird stuff.

I figure someone will leave me a message if they really want to talk to me. I don't answer calls on my cell phone unless I know the number ( and I don't have voicemail on my phone). I have NEVER gotten a call on my cell that was legit when I didn't recognize the number and there are a LOT more calls to it now, so I just made my life difficult. (See previous poster's comment about seeing if a # is "live" and then selling it. Sigh.)

[Tree Frog]

11 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/abcnews.go.com/amp/Business/fcc-warns-consumers-phone-scam/story%3fid=46405703

Sorry for the rabbit trail...

I have seen this info about this particular scam, but I've always wondered about the accuracy of it. Unless a company uses voice recognition software, it wouldn't matter if someone said "yes". "Yes" is such a short word I wouldn't think it would be accurate enough for voice rec software. I've never had an organization recognize who I am based on my voice. I don't understand how this could be a scam and, though I've heard about it happening, I've never heard of it causing anyone problems because of it. Can anyone explain this to me?

[Katy]

99% of the fake calls I still get are from the same area code and prefix that my cell phone is in. The scam company, located overseas, figures we are more likely to answer a local call with the same prefix, so they pretend to be from your same prefix, using software, automatically.  When you block that number too, they'll try again using a different one in a couple of days. I only figured this out because I've kept the same cell phone number over years, despite moving multiple times to different states.  I know if the number and prefix are the same as mine not to answer. I've never bothered to call people and ask why they called me - they didn't. And the few times I googled a number before I figured out it was a scam, it always turned out to be a disconnected number.

So... my guess is yours is one of the numbers that has been spoofed, and you're unfortunate enough to be one of the non-disconnected numbers.  You could change your number if it bothers you.  Or you could just not answer calls from the same prefix unless you already know the number.

[Jean in Newcastle]

26 minutes ago, wilrunner said:

Sorry for the rabbit trail...

I have seen this info about this particular scam, but I've always wondered about the accuracy of it. Unless a company uses voice recognition software, it wouldn't matter if someone said "yes". "Yes" is such a short word I wouldn't think it would be accurate enough for voice rec software. I've never had an organization recognize who I am based on my voice. I don't understand how this could be a scam and, though I've heard about it happening, I've never heard of it causing anyone problems because of it. Can anyone explain this to me?

They've had this on the local news (which might or might not be ABC, I can't remember since I am not loyal to one specific news station).  They said much of what the article said and did not explain what you are asking for.  You have valid questions.  I have become wary of answering those types of calls though.

And for the OP's situation, I've had spoofed calls that have even showed as my own phone number calling myself. 

[TravelingChris]

1 hour ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

 

And for the OP's situation, I've had spoofed calls that have even showed as my own phone number calling myself. 

1

I was watching tv one day (I have the bundled package with Comcast) and phone rang and it showed my husband 's name.  I didn't even look at the number before answering. Yes, a spoof call and then I noticed it was my own home phone number since we keep that account in his name since we get a discount.

[barnwife]

It could be a simple malfunction in the phone system.  I've made calls to a contact on the phone, have someone answer who's different and says I have the wrong number, apologize, hang up, check that number (already a contact), call again and get the correct person.  Nothing is perfect. 

If it happens a third time, it's not a coincidence, but that doesn't mean your callers are up to anything. 

[kiwik]

Probably.  I don't get the don't answer numbers you don't recognise though.  Here all government department numbers show as 'unknown' so it could be the hospital saying your kid has been in an accident or the tax department with an urgent query or a friend could call using a different phone.  I don't answer the phone when I don't want to talk but otherwise the purpose of a phone is to allow people to contact you.  I just hang up on scams.

[bethben]

There have been more than a handful of times that I call my mom's number and I get this sweet sounding elderly woman instead (not that my mom is neither sweet nor elderly).  I did this just the other day.  I called her number twice even after making sure I was slowly dialing my mom's number.  It's happened with my cell phone and my home phone.  

[Roadrunner]

So this thread got me to look up National Do No Call Registry number (because I too receive a ton of calls) and when I dialed it took me to some sex line. ?

[Pawz4me]

I've reported the post directly above by yaxxle. Isn't it ironic to get a spam post on a thread about a scam?

[Scarlett]

On July 20, 2018 at 9:35 AM, DawnM said:

I have now gotten 2 calls in the last few weeks from local numbers.  When I answer they say, "I am calling you back.  Did you need something?"

There is NO outgoing accidental dial, so I know I didn't call them in the first place.

 But then they seem genuine in saying, "Ok, sorry" or "Ok, thanks" and hang up.

Is there an angle?

And before you say, "Well, I don't answer if I don't recognize the number" I do answer sometimes when I am expecting a call from an office or business (as I am now) and I know the call may be coming from the guy on the truck's cell phone, which is different than the business's phone number.

 

I had this happen just last week.  A man was VERY irritated with me....LOL......I assure him my phone had not called anyone....and my number must have been spoofed.  

I answer all calls unless I just don't want to talk at that moment.  

My mom Cracks me up trying to pre-determine if a call is legit before answering.  'Texas! I don't know anyone in Texas!' Well mom you are 73 years old and you have friends all over the world and TX is a big state.  Of COURSE you know someone in TX.  Sure enough it was a niece of my dad's.  

SMH

[Lady Florida.]

I've been getting a lot of spam calls from my area code lately and answered them because as @DawnM said it might have been a doctor's office or some other call I need to answer. Mostly I just figure if it's important they'll leave a voice mail but sometimes I don't want to play phone tag when I'm waiting for a call. I've been answering only to find out it's a spam caller. After reading this thread I decided to look for an app to weed out the junk calls. There are quite a few and I ended up choosing Hiya. So far I'm satisfied with it though it let a few unwanted calls through. For the most part it identifies the caller and it flags calls that are obvious spam. 

I did have one call that made me realize there are some holes in the app's plan. The caller's name was identified and I didn't recognize her so I didn't answer. I looked her up and found out she's an employee in the office of a political party that isn't mine. Huh. Wonder why she's calling me. I'm obviously registered with Not Her Party. She left a voice mail and it turned out it was my physical therapy office reminding me of an upcoming appointment. I guess she called me from her own phone (sometimes offices will have their people call you from their personal phones after hours). 

Other than that no other weird issues happened. Hiya is available for both Android and iOS. There are a number of these apps and while they won't help with a landline I'd recommend taking a look at a few to see if one will work for you if you get spam calls on your cell (general you).

 

On 7/20/2018 at 5:57 PM, kiwik said:

 

NM. Realized I misread something in your post but now I can't delete the quote box. Does anyone know how to delete quote boxes when you've changed your mind? I haven't been able to figure it out.

[Reefgazer]

Some telemarketer probably spoofed your number, which appeared o someone's caller ID, and they are calling you back.

[Pegasus]

Spoofing is the most likely answer. Not as likely, but possible, is a technical glitch in your phone connection. This happened to us a few years ago and we were getting TONS of callbacks from people asking why we were calling them.  Worst of all, several calls were made to 911.  Apparently, they HAVE to respond to a 911 call when no one is on the line to give them information. I stumbled out of bed in the wee hours of the morning more than once to answer the door to a sherriff's deputy asking if everything was ok since "we had called 911."  We called our phone company and visited their offices multiple times trying to get it resolved.  We finally went again to the office and weren't going to leave until they either resolved the problem or disconnected our line completely. I was sincerely worried about getting in trouble for all the 911 calls! They finally elevated the repair ticket to someone who was able to locate and resolve the issue.