Why do I keep getting phone calls from people who hang up when I answer?

Question

I keeps getting strange phone calls from people, the house phone would ring and I would pick it up and say "hello" then they hang up. Could there be a chance that they are people who I know? Or what people would do that and why?

Answer 1

If in the UK dial 1471 and see if you get their number - you then have the option of ringing them and ask them what they are playing at. They may of course withold their number (most mobile phones tend not to work with this). If you are bothered about this tell the phone company they may be able to give you more information about who it is. You may be unlucky and be having an automated system or diagnostics phone trying to contact you (my uncle's number was one digit away from an all-night taxi firm - he had to get it changed eventually).

I suffered some nuisance call myself a long while ago and do sympathise. Reluctant to allow such things to make me feeel like a victim,  I had the number changed to unlisted and have never had to suffer double glazing saleman or kitchen sellers, or describe what foundation garments I am wearing, since.

Answer 2

Is this UK ? have u tried dialling 1471, best thing to do is keep a whistle by the phone , and blow it hard down the line when u get one of these calls , they'll soon stop

Answer 3

probably an indian call centre...

they tend to panic when you answer the phone and hang up.

Answer 4

Interesting Person, probably in a split second thet know you aren't interesting.

Answer 5

What might be happening is a telemarketer.  Their calls are generated by a computer and there is a bit of delay time and they sometimes don't hear the caller say "hello"  Do you have caller ID...it would be easily to see who was calling and hanging up.  You could always call *69 to see who was the last person to call your number...Just a thought.  Good Luck!

Answer 6

answer the phone and say in a creepy voice, "i know where you live..." and they'll totally get freaked out and never call back.

Answer 7

If this persists, then you need to register on the telephone preferential service.

http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/.

If you register on here, it will drastically reduce the amount of companies cold calling you, trying to sell things.

It won't stop them all-together, but it will get reduced.

If the calls keep coming then, it may be the fact that someone you know is harrasing you, which then will have to be a BT issue, or the company that provides your line rental.

Answer 8

You can get some idea of the caller by entering the number if you know it, into http://whocallsme.com/

Read the comments from others that have also received calls from that number.

It's usually telemarketers. several numbers are automatically called at once and when just one is answered the others get hung up.