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ZDNET's key takeaways
There's a reason scam callers don't respond when you answer.
The goal is simply to confirm that your number is active and spammable.
To deal with a call, hang up and use spam filtering to block them.
Have you ever answered a call from an unknown number only to be greeted with silence? Sometimes, no one responds at all. Other times, there's a short delay before someone finally greets you. You may think the person on the other end is just confused or distracted, or possibly got the wrong number. But that's not the case, at least not with a scam call.
Also: This new phone scam has 'carriers' calling to exchange your device - don't fall for it
Yes, there is a method behind the madness. Just knowing that someone answered the call is validation that the phone is owned by a real person and that the number is active. That marks the intended victim and number as available for future scams.
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