Due to all the recent data leaks, it is wise to pay extra attention to telephone numbers that you do not know. Criminals use unknown numbers not only to mislead you, but also to check whether your number is still in use.
Do you regularly receive a call from an unknown number? Better not take any risks. Especially if it concerns a foreign number, it can involve wangiri fraud, a well-known trick in which scammers tempt you to call back to an expensive number abroad. We explain what you should pay attention to and how you can block unknown numbers.
Calls from unknown numbers
Are you suddenly receiving a lot of calls from unknown numbers? Then it is important to be extra alert. Due to the recent data breaches, it is wise to ignore calls from unknown numbers.
Criminals are increasingly using telephone numbers instead of anonymous calls, not only to mislead people directly, but also to find out whether a number is still active. As soon as you answer or call back, they know that your number is in use, making you even more likely to become a target of scams.
Why you shouldn’t call back
Calling back unknown numbers carries risks, because scammers often take advantage of this. They play on your curiosity, doubts or the thought that you may have missed an important conversation. In reality, a briefly missed phone call can be enough to tempt you into making a costly mistake.
Even when it comes to unknown Dutch numbers, it is wise not to simply call back. By doing this, you indicate that your number is active. This can lead to more spam calls, frequent attempts by scammers, and possibly even new forms of deception using the same number.
Do you regularly receive calls from unknown numbers? Better not take any risks. Especially with foreign numbers, this can involve wangiri fraud, a common trick in which scammers tempt you to call back an expensive number abroad.
How wangiri fraud works
Wangiri is Japanese for something like ringing once and hanging up. The scammer lets your phone ring very briefly and disconnects the connection again before you can properly respond. A missed call from a number you do not recognize will then appear on the screen, often with a foreign country code.
If you call back, you may be transferred to an expensive number, a waiting line or a paid service. Sometimes criminals deliberately try to prolong the conversation so that the costs increase further. That is precisely why hanging up is quick or not responding at all the safest choice.
This is how you recognize a suspicious call
Suspicious calls often have the same pattern. The phone keeps ringing once overthere will be no voicemail left and the number has a unknown or foreign country code. Other signals are a call at a strange time, repeated short calls or a number that you cannot trace anywhere. The more often this happens, the greater the chance that you are dealing with spam or fraud.
What you do best
The most important rule is simple: don’t automatically answer or call unknown numbers. If you are really expecting an important (international) call, first check who is calling and look up the number via the official website of a company or organization. A legitimate sender usually leaves left a voicemail or tries later to contact us again, whether or not via another channel.
You can also block the number on your iPhone or Android device and report suspicious calls to your provider or the Fraud helpdesk. If you have called back and you suspect fraud, it is wise to take action immediately so that any damage is limited.
Dutch numbers are also suspect
Not only foreign numbers are a risk. It is also better not to simply call back an unknown Dutch number, especially if you are not expecting the caller or if no voicemail has been left.
Sometimes criminals use spoofed numbers; these are phone numbers or email addresses that have been spoofed by cybercriminals to appear as if they come from a trusted source. This makes it appear as if it is a legitimate source, while in reality there is a criminal behind it. Unfortunately, nowadays you can’t just trust what appears on your phone’s screen.
Block unknown and anonymous numbers
If desired, you can block all unknown and anonymous calls on your iPhone. These are then immediately forwarded to your voicemail, so that you are no longer bothered by these calls. The call will then appear in your missed calls list.
- Open ‘Settings’
- Go to ‘Apps’
- Tap ‘Phone’ in the list
- Enable the ‘Screen incoming calls’ option
- Enable the ‘Send to Voicemail’ option
- If necessary, enable the option ‘Move to ‘Unknown callers’
Anonymous calls and unknown callers are immediately blocked. Do you have iOS 18 or earlier installed? Then you can enable this option via Settings â–¸ (Apps) â–¸ Phone â–¸ Silence unknown callers.
When you receive a call from an unknown or anonymous caller, your iPhone will stop ringing. Instead, the caller is immediately forwarded to voicemail and you receive a missed call notification. The caller can then choose whether he or she wants to leave a message. You can read more information in the highlighted article below.