They call and drop: why they do it and what is the danger

You won't surprise anyone with phone spam. You are not often contacted by close people like scammers from the "security service", managers who are trying to sell something, and other strange personalities. But a separate mystery is incoming calls from unfamiliar numbers, which are dropped as soon as you try to pick up the phone or say welcome words.

It happens that the caller just made a wrong number and realized it at the last moment. But chances are good that this is someone unpleasant. Let's figure out what's going on.

Why do they call and drop

To check the activity of the number

Both scammers and ad managers do not painstakingly select the numbers of potential victims. They just buy a subscriber base and then use it. But first, the numbers must be checked to see if they work. What is automatic dialing used for? If the call is answered, the number will be marked as "live". This means that a person can already call him and try in any way lure money.

To breed for money

When someone dials and folds, some curious people call back: what if something important? Sometimes the numbers turn out to be paid, and a certain amount is debited from the account. Not necessarily big. But if we collect 30-50 rubles from a million people, it will be 30-50 million.

To test a person's eligibility for divorce

Fraudsters are good at manipulating people to get hold of their money. But potential victims react differently to persuasion: someone believes in the caller's words right away, someone becomes suspicious and is difficult to divorce.

In general, no one is immune from fraud, it may even get caught very smart and careful a person if they find a key to him. But it often makes no sense for criminals to go the long way and spend a lot of time on tough nuts while there are gullible people.

If a person calls back, this most often indicates that he is curious and contactable enough, he can be processed.

In order to economize

This is more common for advertisers than scammers. And here everything is simple. When they call, they pay for the conversation. But if you called back, then everything is at your expense.

To bypass advertising law

It is prohibited to recruit and advertise something, unless the person has previously given consent to this.Federal Law of March 13, 2006 No. 38-FZ "On Advertising". Well, then you yourself called back. Hear about a unique product as well.

What to do if they call and drop

Don't pick up the phone

Ideally, these calls are best not answered at all. Then the system will consider the number inactive, and you will be left alone. But how to implement this security measure depends on how much strangers are gaining in principle. There are basically two strategies.

1. Don't answer calls from unknown numbers

This can be afforded by people who usually talk only with loved ones and do not order anything by courier delivery. If someone unfamiliar calls, he clearly will not offer anything good. This approach has a drawback: if a friend is in trouble, it will be difficult for him to contact you from someone else's phone. On the other hand, there are always options, for example he can send SMS.

2. Use special services

Sometimes not answering the phone is not an option. For example, people who work with clients cannot afford it. They are often called from unknown numbers. In this case, all hope is for applications - caller IDs and spam blockers. With them, it will be possible to ignore calls that the services consider suspicious.

Be silent

Another option is to pick up the phone and say nothing. If there is a person on the other end of the line, they will most likely say something and you will be able to react. If a robot, there is a chance that it will consider the number inactive.

Do not call back

If a person who wants to talk to you is on the other end of the line, he will contact you himself. Even if he has a minus on his account, it is already indecent to dial and drop to call back. There are services for instant account replenishment, deferred payment. So you are unlikely to miss something important.

Natalia Kopylova