Scams & fraud
Silent call from an unknown number? What it means and what to do
You answer, say hello and hear nothing. A few seconds later the line drops. A call like that is usually nothing serious, but sometimes it comes before a scam call. Here’s how to tell the difference and what to do.
The short version
If the line is silent
- Hang up. You don’t need to say anything else.
- Don’t call the number back, especially an overseas one.
- Block it if it keeps happening.
- Be extra careful with the next “bank”, “telco” or “government” call you get.
Why calls go silent
Most silent calls have one of four causes. You usually can’t tell which one it was, so treat them all the same way.
A call centre’s auto-dialler
Telemarketing and debt collection teams often use software that rings many numbers at once and passes answered calls to whichever staff member is free. If nobody is free when you pick up, you hear silence and the call drops. It’s annoying, but it isn’t a scam on its own.
Someone checking that your number works
Scammers buy or generate long lists of numbers. A quick automated call shows which numbers are connected and answered by a real person, and those numbers are more useful for later calls and texts. It’s also why security companies advise against engaging with silent calls at all.
A one-ring “missed call” scam
This one works differently. It’s known as wangiri, Japanese for “one ring and drop”. An overseas number rings once and hangs up before you can answer, hoping you’ll call back. Scamwatch says the aim is to keep you on a line that charges premium rates for as long as possible.
An ordinary fault
Poor reception, a call dropping between networks, a pocket dial or a badly set up business phone system can all produce silence. If the number belongs to someone you know, this is the likely explanation.
Is a silent call dangerous?
On its own, very rarely. Nobody can take money or install anything on your phone just because you answered. The risk is what happens next. If a scammer now knows your number is live, you may get more calls and texts, and they may be more convincing.
You may have read that saying “yes” on a call can be recorded and used to sign you up to something, or that a few words are enough to clone your voice. These claims get repeated a lot, and the evidence of harm after a silent call is thin. Still, there’s no reason to give a stranger a recording of your voice. Letting the caller speak first is a simple habit.
Caller ID can be faked
A number that looks Australian, or even matches a real business, doesn’t prove who is calling. The ACMA says telcos now have systems that make it harder for scammers to fake Australian numbers, but it still happens. Judge a call by what the caller asks you to do, not by the number on screen.
What to do on the call
- If you pick up and hear nothing, wait a second or two, then hang up. There’s no need to keep saying hello.
- Don’t press any keys if a recording asks you to “press 1 to speak to someone” or “press 9 to be removed”.
- If you don’t recognise the number, it’s fine not to answer at all. Real callers leave a message or send a text.
What to do afterwards
- Don’t call back an unknown number, and never call back an overseas number that rang once. If you think the call might have been genuine, look up the organisation’s number yourself and call that.
- Check your voicemail. If it mattered, there’ll usually be a message.
- Block the number if the calls repeat. Scammers rotate numbers, so this won’t stop them all, but it cuts down the repeats.
- Report it to Scamwatch if it was part of a pattern or followed by a suspicious call or text. Scamwatch takes reports even when you didn’t lose anything.
Spotting the follow-up scam
The call that matters is the one with a real person on it. Common scripts in Australia pretend to come from a bank, a phone or internet provider, a delivery company, the ATO, myGov, the police or a “tech support” team. The details change. The warning signs mostly don’t.
| If the caller… | Do this instead |
|---|---|
| Says there’s a problem with your account and you must act now | Hang up and call the organisation on a number from its website, your card or a bill. |
| Asks for a code that was just sent to your phone | Never read it out. Those codes are for you to type in, not to share with anyone. |
| Asks you to install an app so they can “fix” your computer or phone | Don’t. Remote access apps give the caller control of your device and accounts. |
| Asks you to move money to a “safe account” | Hang up. Banks don’t ask customers to move money to protect it. |
| Wants payment by gift card, crypto or a transfer to a person | Stop. Genuine organisations don’t take payment that way. |
| Already knows some of your details | Don’t let it reassure you. Names, addresses and partial card numbers often come from earlier data breaches. |
A good rule: if a call asks you to do something with money, passwords, codes or your device, end it and make contact yourself through a channel you already trust.
If you’ve already given details or money
Move quickly, and don’t be embarrassed. These scripts are written and rehearsed by people who do this all day, and they fool careful people every week.
Call your bank first
Use the number on the back of your card or in your banking app. Ask them to stop or recall payments and secure your accounts.
Secure your accounts and device
Change any password you shared, and any account that uses the same password, starting with your email. If you installed an app at the caller’s request, uninstall it and get the device checked.
Get free help from IDCARE
IDCARE is Australia’s not-for-profit identity and cyber support service. Call 1800 595 160 for a free response plan. IDCARE won’t contact you out of the blue, so be wary of anyone who says they’re calling from there.
Report it
Report to Scamwatch, and to ReportCyber if you lost money or information online.
Watch out for “recovery” offers
People who’ve been scammed are often contacted again by someone promising to get their money back for a fee. That’s a second scam. Block them.
Getting fewer of these calls
- iPhone: turn on Silence Unknown Callers in the Phone settings. Calls from numbers not in your contacts go straight to voicemail and still appear in your recent calls.
- Android: in the Phone app’s settings, look for caller ID and spam protection (the name varies by brand) and turn on spam filtering.
- Your telco: Australian telcos must detect, trace and block scam calls under an industry code registered by the ACMA. Many also offer extra call filtering or international call barring, which is worth turning on for children’s phones.
- Do Not Call Register: registering your number is free and cuts legitimate telemarketing. Scammers ignore it, so it won’t stop scam calls.
For workplaces
Scam calls to a business usually target whoever handles payments, IT access or customer records. A few written rules help more than any tool:
- Changes to bank details, urgent payments and password resets are always confirmed by calling back on a number already on file.
- Nobody reads out a verification code or approves a sign-in prompt they didn’t start.
- Staff know it’s fine to hang up on someone claiming to be a manager, supplier or IT support, and check first.
- There’s one named person to report odd calls to, so patterns get noticed.
Common questions
Why do I keep getting silent calls from different numbers?
Auto-diallers and scam operations both cycle through many numbers. Blocking helps with repeats, and your phone’s spam filter or Silence Unknown Callers setting catches more of them.
The silent call came from an Australian mobile number. Is that safer?
Not necessarily. Numbers can be faked, and real numbers are sometimes hijacked. Let it go to voicemail and see whether a message is left.
I called back an overseas missed call. What now?
Check your next bill for premium or international charges and contact your telco if there are any. Some providers will review the charges.
Can a silent call hack my phone?
Answering a normal call doesn’t install anything. The danger comes from what a later caller convinces you to do.
Sources
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. If you think you’ve lost money or personal information, contact your bank and the services named above straight away.
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