Why am I getting so many spam calls?

You’ve probably felt your phone buzz and glanced at the screen, only to see an unfamiliar number. Should you answer? Maybe it’s important. Maybe it’s a scam. More often than not, it’s a spam call — an unwanted interruption that wastes your time and potentially puts your personal information at risk.

These calls often rely on automated systems that dial thousands of numbers at once. Instead of speaking with a real person, you’re greeted by a pre-recorded pitch or a suspicious message pretending to be from a trusted company. In some cases, the number looks local, even familiar — a trick known as number spoofing — designed to get you to pick up.

Over 68 million people reported losing money to phone scams last year. Knowing how to filter spam calls, recognize suspicious patterns, and use call-blocking tools can help you stay a step ahead. You deserve a phone that works for you, not against you — and that starts with learning how to protect your time, money, and peace of mind.

How spam calls put your security at risk

Spam calls aren’t just annoying — they can open the door to serious security threats. When you answer or interact with one of these calls, you expose yourself to more than just an interruption. Many of these calls are designed to manipulate you, gather personal information, or encourage actions that compromise your privacy and safety.

Here are some of the biggest risks tied to spam calls:

Impersonation fraud

Scammers often pose as trusted entities, like your bank, a government agency, or a tech support company. They sound urgent and convincing, telling you there’s an issue with your account or device. Once they gain your trust, they ask for sensitive information or try to get you to authorize fake payments.

Unauthorized access to personal data

Some callers aim to collect personal details, such as your address, date of birth, or even your Social Security Number. These bits of information may seem harmless on their own, but combined, they give scammers the tools to steal your identity or dig deeper into your accounts.

Financial manipulation

You may be told you owe money, missed a payment, or need to verify your credit card details to avoid penalties. These high-pressure tactics are designed to panic you into acting fast, often leading to unauthorized transactions or financial losses you might not detect right away.

Phishing through fake links or downloads

Instead of asking for information directly, some spam callers try to get you to click a link or download software. These links may lead to lookalike websites where you enter your login or payment information, or they may install malware on your device, opening the door to data theft or even full system lockouts through ransomware.

Digital exposure escalation

The moment you engage with a spam call, your number may be flagged as active and passed on to more scammers. That increases the volume and sophistication of future calls, raising your exposure to further scams or digital traps that can be harder to detect.

Keep in mind that spam calls aren’t just irritating — they’re calculated attempts to trick you. Each time you pick up, you risk more than a few wasted minutes.

Five common reasons why you’re getting spam calls

Spam calls can feel random, but there’s often a reason behind them. Scammers and telemarketers don’t just pick numbers out of thin air — they use specific methods to find and target you. Understanding how your number ends up in their hands is the first step in figuring out how to protect it.

1. You’ve answered unknown calls before

When you pick up a call from an unfamiliar number, you signal to spammers that your phone line is active. That single response can place you on a list of “verified” numbers, which scammers then share or sell to other malicious actors. It’s a fast way for your number to become a target for repeated spam attempts.

Even if the call seemed harmless at the time, just engaging with it can open the door to more. Once your number is tagged as responsive, spam calls often increase — sometimes significantly — as scammers test new angles or try to bait you into revealing more personal information.

2. Your info was leaked in a data breach

When a company experiences a data breach, your private details — including your phone number — may fall into the wrong hands. Hackers often collect this information and sell it in bulk. If your number was part of a recent data breach, you may start receiving more suspicious calls shortly afterward.

These breaches don’t just affect one type of account. Anything from online shopping sites to healthcare providers can be vulnerable. Once leaked, your data can circulate widely, increasing the chances that spam callers will target you.

3. You posted your number on social media

If your phone number appears on a public social media profile, anyone, including spammers, can access it. They don’t need to hack or dig deep; they just need to look. That number becomes part of your online footprint, making it easier for bad actors to connect the dots and find other personal details.

Public posts, bios, or business pages can all unintentionally expose your contact info. Once discovered, your number may be scraped by bots or added to call lists that attract everything from marketing pitches to scams.

4. Your number is on people-finder sites

Various websites collect public records and online data to build searchable profiles. If your phone number is listed in these databases, it’s easily available to anyone, including spammers. These sites (data brokers) gather information from sources such as property records, business registrations, and even social media.

When spammers exploit these platforms, they can associate your number with your name, location, and other personal identifying information. That extra context makes their calls more convincing — and more dangerous.

5. Your number circulates on the dark web

In some cases, your number ends up in hidden corners of the internet where stolen data is traded. If it’s floating around dark web marketplaces, spammers and scammers may have easy access to it. This typically occurs after a major data breach or a phishing attack, in which your information is exposed.

Once your number is part of these illicit databases, you may receive calls that seem more targeted or manipulative. The deeper your data has been compromised, the more aggressive these calls can become.

Take Control: How to shut down spam calls for good

If you’re tired of dodging calls from unfamiliar numbers or worrying about getting tricked by fraudsters, then it’s time to take action. There are multiple ways to reduce — and in some cases eliminate — these disruptive calls. Here’s how to tighten your defenses and regain control of your phone.

1. Remove your number from public listings

Your phone number is likely easier to find than you think. Many websites collect and display personal information, including contact details, pulled from public records or scraped from social media.

When your number is out in the open, it’s a target. Reducing your digital footprint can limit the number of places spammers can grab your information. For instance, Incogni and PrivacyBee are good examples of privacy-friendly call blockers.

Incogni originally emerged from Surfshark, a well-established VPN provider, as part of its Surfshark One+ suite. Although it was developed under the Surfshark brand, Incogni now operates independently as its own dedicated service.

2. Register with the National Do Not Call list

Signing up for the National Do Not Call Registry makes it illegal for legitimate telemarketers to contact you without permission. While shady operations and scams may still attempt to slip through, this step reduces the volume of calls from legitimate businesses. It establishes a legal boundary that they’re supposed to respect.

3. Filter out unknown callers

Most smartphones now offer the ability to silence incoming calls from numbers that aren’t saved in your contacts. This feature sends unidentified numbers directly to voicemail, without disturbing you, and keeps potential spam at a distance, reducing interruptions throughout your day.

4. Report unwanted calls to the right authorities

Each spam call you report helps flag the number and build a case against repeat offenders. Whether it’s the FTC, FCC, or your state’s consumer protection office, these agencies rely on your reports to investigate illegal robocalls and track down scammers who violate telecommunications laws.

5. Install a call-blocking service

Third-party apps and carrier-based tools can automatically detect and block known spam numbers before your phone even rings. These services use large databases of flagged numbers, community reports, and machine learning to assess whether a call is trustworthy or not, offering a powerful layer of defense.

6. Block individual numbers manually

When spam calls do get through, blocking the number directly stops repeat interruptions from the same source. Both iPhones and Android devices make this easy to do in just a few taps from your call history — a quick way to shut down persistent callers one by one.

Here’s how to block a number on your device:

On iPhone

• Open the Phone app.
• Tap Recents at the bottom.
• Find the spam number you want to block.
• Tap the small “i” icon next to the number.
• Scroll down and tap Block this Caller.
• Confirm your choice when prompted.

On Android

(Note: steps can vary slightly depending on your device brand and Android version)

• Open the Phone app.
• Go to the Recents or Call History tab.
• Locate the number you want to block.
• Tap the Info icon or the three-dot menu next to it.
• Select Block or Block/report spam.
• Confirm when asked.

Spam calls aren’t going anywhere on their own, but with the right tools and strategies, you can make your phone a lot harder to reach for scammers and unwanted callers alike.

Frequently asked questions