Technology
Missed voicemails with no calls? It could be a scam
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It starts quietly. Your phone buzzes. You see a voicemail notification. But your phone never rang. Then it happens again. And again. Before long, your voicemail inbox looks like it’s under attack.
That’s exactly what Mike from Westport, CT, is dealing with right now. He wrote to us saying,
“I am so upset. Every 20 to 30 minutes, I am getting voicemails, but what’s weird is my phone never rings. After blocking the number, it just rolls over to a new source number. When I go to play the message, there is no audio. Is this a scammer just trying to get me to call them back? Not sure what the endgame is here. What can I do to stop this from happening? I really appreciate your help.”
What he is describing is something we’re seeing more often. It may feel random, but there’s a clear pattern behind this voicemail scam and here’s what you need to know to stay safe.
RECEIVING UNEXPECTED INTERNATIONAL CALLS? WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Silent voicemail scams can flood a phone with blank messages even when the device never rings. (Getty Images)
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What the silent voicemail scam actually is
This tactic is often called a silent voicemail scam or ringless voicemail spam. Here’s how it works in plain terms:
- Scammers drop voicemail messages directly into your inbox
- Your phone never rings, so it feels strange and urgent
- The message is blank, garbled or extremely short
- The number changes constantly to avoid blocks
At first glance, it looks like a glitch. That confusion is the point.
What’s really happening behind the scenes
This pattern almost always points to automated robocall systems using caller ID spoofing, not real people manually calling you.
Here’s what’s likely happening:
- Automated dialing systems are repeatedly hitting your number
- They use spoofed or constantly changing caller IDs, which is why blocking one number doesn’t stop it
- Some calls connect briefly, then drop, leaving behind a silent or very short voicemail
- In some cases, the system is “pinging” your number to confirm it’s active
Once a number is confirmed as active, it can be shared across spam networks and used in future campaigns.
Why scammers leave empty voicemails
It seems pointless, but there’s a strategy behind it.
1) They want you to call back
Curiosity does the work for them. Many people return the call just to figure out what happened. When you call back, you may:
- Reach a premium-rate number that charges per minute
- Get routed into a scam call center
- Confirm your number is active and monitored
2) They test if your number is real
Even if you never call back, your voicemail confirms your number is in use. That makes it more valuable for future scams.
3) They try to bypass spam filters
Because your phone never rings, traditional call filters may not catch it. That lets more of these messages slip through.
Why do the numbers keep changing
You block one number, and another appears minutes later. That’s usually a sign of caller ID spoofing and number cycling. Scammers use software to falsify the number that shows up on your phone and rotate through large batches of numbers to stay ahead of blocks and spam filters. Some of those numbers may be completely fabricated, while others may belong to real people whose caller ID information is being misused. Many of those numbers are:
- Fake
- Reassigned or temporarily used
- Tied to real people who have no idea their number is being spoofed
Blocking a single number can still be worth doing, but it usually will not stop the campaign by itself because the caller can keep switching numbers.
GOOGLE SEARCH LED TO A COSTLY SCAM CALL
Scammers may use ringless voicemail spam and caller ID spoofing to test whether a phone number is active. (Getty Images)
Is your phone being hacked?
This is one of the first things many people worry about. In most cases, no. These silent voicemails are more likely to be part of a scam call or robocall campaign than a sign that your phone has been hacked. Scammers can use tactics such as caller ID spoofing and ringless voicemail to reach you without making the call feel normal.
The bigger risk isn’t your phone itself. It’s how the scam tries to get you to respond. Calling back, pressing prompts or engaging with the message can confirm that your number is active and may expose you to more scam attempts. The FTC specifically advises people to hang up or delete the voicemail and not call back unknown numbers.
How to stop silent voicemail scams
You don’t have to just put up with it. There are ways to reduce or stop these messages.
1) Do not call back unknown numbers
Even if it feels harmless, skip it. If it’s important, the caller will leave a real message.
2) Enable spam call filtering
On iPhone and Android, turn on built-in call filtering and silence unknown callers. This helps reduce future attempts.
How to enable spam call filtering
On iPhone (latest iOS)
Apple now gives you two strong options: Silence Unknown Callers and Call Screening.
Option 1: Silence unknown callers
- Open Settings
- Tap Apps
- Tap Phone
- Scroll down and turn on Unknown Callers
This sends calls from numbers not in your contacts straight to voicemail without ringing.
Option 2: Turn on Call Screening (recommended)
- Open Settings
- Tap Apps
- Tap Phone
- Scroll down and under Screen Unknown Callers, select Ask Reason for Calling
This feature prompts unknown callers to say who they are before your phone rings, which filters out many spam calls automatically.
Optional: Enable spam identification
- Go to Settings
- Tap Apps
- Tap Phone
- Tap Call Blocking & Identification
- Tap Business Call Identification
- Make sure it is set to ON
This allows your iPhone to show verified business names and logos for legitimate callers when available.
On Samsung
Samsung combines spam protection with AI call screening.
Settings and feature names may vary depending on your Samsung model, carrier and software version.
Option 1: Turn on spam protection
- Open the Phone app
- Tap the three-dot menu (top right)
- Tap Settings
- Tap Caller ID and spam protection
- Toggle it ON
This flags suspected spam calls before you answer.
Option 2: Block unknown callers
- Open the Phone app
- Tap the three-dot menu (top right)
- Tap Settings
- Tap Block numbers
- Turn on Block calls from unknown numbers
This stops hidden or unidentified numbers from ringing your phone.
Option 3: Enable Call Screen (best option)
- Open the Phone app
- Tap the three-dot menu (top right)
- Tap Settings
- Tap Bixby Text Call or just Text Call
- Toggle it ON
This lets your phone answer unknown calls with AI and show you what the caller says in real time.
One important reality check: Even with these turned on, some calls may still go to voicemail. That’s because voicemail is controlled by your carrier, not your phone.
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Unknown voicemail messages that contain no audio may be part of an automated robocall campaign. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
3) Use a call-blocking app
Apps can spot patterns faster than manual blocking and stop repeat offenders. Many of these apps can also identify known scam numbers and automatically block high-risk calls, helping reduce how often your phone gets hit.
4) Contact your carrier
Many carriers offer network-level spam blocking. Ask about tools that block ringless voicemail or robocalls.
5) Use a data removal service
If your number keeps getting hit, it may already be circulating on marketing lists or data broker sites. These data removal services scan for your personal information and help remove it from databases that scammers often tap into. Cutting down where your number appears can reduce how often you get targeted over time. Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com
6) Report the activity
You can report unwanted calls and voicemails to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). Reports help track and shut down large scam campaigns.
7) Protect your number going forward
Avoid posting your phone number publicly. The less exposure it has, the harder it is for scammers to target you.
8) Register your phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry at donotcall.gov/
This can help reduce telemarketing calls from legitimate businesses, but it unfortunately won’t stop scammers, illegal robocalls, or exempt organizations (like charities and political groups) from calling you. Scammers often ignore the registry and use tactics like number spoofing to bypass it. Want to know more about why your phone still won’t stop ringing and what you can do about it? Check out our article on the ‘Do Not Call’ list loophole.
Kurt’s key takeaways
Silent voicemails are designed to mess with your instincts. They rely on curiosity and confusion, not sophisticated hacking. The best move is simple. Don’t engage. Let them hit a dead end. Over time, that tells the system your number isn’t worth the effort.
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So here’s the real question: If scammers are counting on curiosity to hook you, how often do you think that instinct is working on other people right now? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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- Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join.
Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Android 17 is getting a dedicated gaming mode for foldables that will put a virtual gamepad with touch controls on half of your screen to theoretically make it easier to play games.
With foldable gaming mode, which is set to launch in the coming months, the virtual controller emulates physical button presses at a system level and is designed to work “with any game that supports physical controllers,” says Google’s Mishaal Rahman on Reddit. For the actual inputs, the virtual controller will have a D-pad; left and right virtual sticks; A, B, X, and Y buttons; L1, L2, L3; R1, R2, and R3; and a start button. And you’ll be able to configure the gamepad in several ways, such as keeping the virtual joysticks inline or staggered from each other, scaling the size of the buttons, and toggling haptics on or off.
Turning on the mode “is as simple as unfolding your device, either before or after launching a compatible game,” Rahman says. You can also choose to hide the gamepad, and if you connect a physical controller, the virtual gamepad will turn off on its own.
“Android allows you to play a wide variety of games on the go,” says Rahman. “While touch controls work incredibly well for many titles, certain games are better enjoyed with physical gamepads. The problem is that carrying a Bluetooth controller or a snap-on gamepad with you everywhere isn’t always convenient. We want to bridge that gap, and we’re addressing it with a new feature in the Android 17 platform release that’s specifically tailored for foldable devices.”
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A letter arrives about a debt you don’t remember, from a company you’ve never dealt with, for an account you never opened. For a growing number of people, that notice is how they first learn someone used their identity.
Complaints to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) about attempts to collect a debt not owed rose about 115% above their prior two-year average in 2025, and many of those consumers reported balances they didn’t recognize and suspected identity theft.
Before you panic or pay, it helps to understand why these letters show up and what rights you have.
WHY LAST YEAR’S BREACH IS THIS YEAR’S IDENTITY FRAUD
A collection letter for a debt you do not recognize can be the first sign that someone used your identity. (John Carl D’Annibale /Albany Times Union via Getty Images)
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- For simple, real-world ways to spot scams early and stay protected, visit CyberGuy.com – trusted by millions who watch CyberGuy on TV daily.
- Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join.
Why debt collectors contact you about a debt you do not owe
When a charged-off account is sold to a collection agency, the agency receives the original creditor’s application file, including whatever identifiers were used to open it. That contact information is often 90 to 180 days out of date by the time the account changes hands.
HOW SCAMMERS BUILD A PROFILE ON YOU USING DATA BROKERS
Before the first call, the agency runs skip tracing: matching a name, Social Security number (SSN) and past addresses against public records, postal change-of-address data, property and utility records and data-broker files to find the current person behind the account. At bulk volume, each lookup costs the agency pennies.
The agency then contacts you directly, by phone or mail, whether or not you have looked at your credit file.
How fake debt can start with identity theft
The account behind the notice may have been opened with your information pulled from breaches and resold, then approved by an automated check that matched the data to an existing file without confirming that the applicant was you. Opening a new account is the leading form of attempted identity misuse reported to the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), which counted it more often than takeovers of accounts people already held. What happens after is less understood.
10 SIGNS YOUR PERSONAL DATA IS BEING SOLD ONLINE
Charged-off debts, including fraudulent ones, are sold in bulk portfolios for pennies on the dollar, often with thin supporting paperwork. One fraudulent balance can be sold and resold across several agencies. A debt you dispute and clear with one collector can be repackaged and reappear with another months later.
With medical debt, a bill can sometimes move toward collections before you see every explanation of benefits, insurance update or corrected statement. That is why you should contact the provider and your insurer before paying a collector.
What debt collectors legally have to tell you
Federal law gives you a defined response, and the clock starts at first contact. Under the CFPB’s Regulation F, a collector must send a validation notice describing the debt and your rights in, or within five days of, its first communication with you.
5 MYTHS ABOUT IDENTITY THEFT THAT PUT YOUR DATA AT RISK
You have 30 days from receiving that notice to dispute the debt in writing under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). Dispute inside that window, and the collector must stop collecting until it verifies the debt.
One important note: the FDCPA generally covers third-party debt collectors, not every original creditor. However, credit reporting laws, identity theft protections and state laws may still give you rights.
If the debt came from identity theft, send the collector an FTC Identity Theft Report from IdentityTheft.gov. Also, tell the collector in writing that you dispute the debt, that it resulted from identity theft and that you want it to stop reporting the account to the credit bureaus.
IS YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER AT RISK? SIGNS SOMEONE MIGHT BE STEALING IT
Ask Equifax, Experian and TransUnion for a block under Section 605B of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
With a valid identity theft report and proof of your identity, the bureaus must block the fraudulent item within four business days. A block is harder to reverse than an ordinary dispute, which counts when the same debt can be resold.
The CFPB has said it may expand the meaning of identity theft under Regulation V to cover “coerced debt,” money run up in someone’s name without their consent, including in domestic and elder abuse cases.
What to do before you pay a debt collector
Before you send money or confirm any personal details, slow down and make the collector prove the debt belongs to you.
1) Ask for proof in writing
Do not pay, promise to pay or give out more personal information during the first call. Ask for the validation notice in writing and save every letter, voicemail and call log. Then send a written dispute within 30 days.
Fake debts can start with stolen personal information and then move from one collection agency to another. (PixelsEffect/Getty Images)
2) File an identity theft report if the debt looks fake
If you believe identity theft caused the account, create an FTC Identity Theft Report at IdentityTheft.gov. Send copies to the collector, the original creditor and all three credit bureaus. Also, place a fraud alert or credit freeze with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, so it becomes harder for someone to open another account in your name.
3) Check medical bills before paying a collector
With medical debt, contact the provider and your insurer before paying a collector. Ask for an itemized bill and an explanation of benefits. A medical bill can end up in collections while paperwork, insurance reviews or billing disputes are still catching up.
4) Respond quickly if a collector sues you
If a collector sues you, do not ignore the papers. Respond by the court deadline or contact a consumer law attorney or legal aid group. Even a debt you do not owe can create bigger problems if you miss a court deadline.
Why early fraud alerts can save you money
Once a fraudulent account charges off and sells, cleanup gets harder. You may need to dispute the debt with the collector, the original lender and all three credit bureaus. If someone resells the debt, the same problem can come back months later.
YOU HAVE A CREDIT FREEZE. IT STILL ISN’T ENOUGH
Credit monitoring can help you spot a new account or hard inquiry before the debt reaches collections. That gives you time to contact the lender, dispute the account and freeze your credit sooner.
No service can prevent every account opened in your name. However, three-bureau credit monitoring can alert you when lenders report new accounts or hard inquiries. That can help you act before a collections notice arrives or a lender denies you credit.
See my tips and best picks on Best Identity Theft Protection at CyberGuy.com.
Kurt’s key takeaways
A collection letter for an unfamiliar debt deserves a closer look. It may mean someone opened an account in your name. Do not pay just to stop the calls. Ask for written validation and dispute the debt fast. If someone misused your information, file an FTC Identity Theft Report. Then freeze your credit and check all three credit reports. Early alerts can help you catch fraud before collections begin. That can save you money, time and stress.
Have you ever gotten a collection letter or call for a debt you knew you did not owe, and what did you do first? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.
Before paying a collector, ask for written proof, dispute the debt and file an FTC Identity Theft Report if fraud is involved. (Daniel de la Hoz/Getty Images)
Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
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- For simple, real-world ways to spot scams early and stay protected, visit CyberGuy.com – trusted by millions who watch CyberGuy on TV daily.
- Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join.
Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
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