What happens if I answer a spam call?

If you answer the call, your number is considered 'good' by the scammers, even if you don't necessarily fall for the scam. They will try again because they know someone on the other side is a potential victim of fraud. The less you answer, the fewer robocalls you will receive.
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What happens if you say yes to a spam caller?

By responding “yes,” people notify robo-callers that their number is an active telephone number that can be sold to other telemarketers for a higher price. This then leads to more unwanted calls.
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Can Spam calls track you?

Spoofed calls are nearly impossible to track. However, I always recommend running a Google search on the phone number. Sometimes other people will have complained about the number and have connected the number to a company. Other times you will directly find the name of the company associated with the call.
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How do spam callers get your number?

Eight Ways Robocallers Get Your Phone Number
  1. Directly From Your Mobile Carrier. ...
  2. Restaurant Waiting Lists. ...
  3. Charities. ...
  4. Data Aggregation Platforms. ...
  5. Contests & Sweepstakes. ...
  6. Calling 800 or 900 Numbers. ...
  7. Credit Companies. ...
  8. Accepting Terms of Service.
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How do spam callers know your location?

Certain apps, often free apps, could be mining your phone for information such as your wifi network, your IP address, the serial number of your router, other apps that you have on your phone, your phone's International Mobile Equipment Identifier (IMEI, a number that cell phones use to connect to cell phone towers)–and ...
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What happens if I answer a spam risk call?



Can someone hack your phone if you answer their call?

You might be bombarded with calls throughout the course of the day but if nobody is answering or talking back, you might want to go to the authorities about it. Now, to answer the question: it's pretty much impossible for anyone to hack your mobile phone by just calling you so you don't need to worry about that.
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Can you get a virus from a phone call?

Highly unlikely. Phone calls - real phone calls, not Skype calls or whatever - go through a code path that offers little attack surface and is almost entirely under the control of the device manufacturer.
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How do I clear my phone of viruses?

How to remove viruses and other malware from your Android device
  1. Power off the phone and reboot in safe mode. Press the power button to access the Power Off options. ...
  2. Uninstall the suspicious app. ...
  3. Look for other apps you think may be infected. ...
  4. Install a robust mobile security app on your phone.
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What are the signs of a virus on your phone?

5 signs of malware or a virus
  • Your device is hot to the touch. ...
  • Everything 'feels off. ...
  • An increase in random pop-ups and new apps. ...
  • Fraudulent links from your accounts. ...
  • You have unauthorized charges.
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How do I check if my phone has a virus?

Symptoms of a virus-infected smartphone
  1. Slower phone or faster battery drain.
  2. Sudden increase in data consumption.
  3. Messages being sent to your contacts.
  4. Strange apps.
  5. Persistent and aggressive ads.
  6. Hijacked search engines.
  7. Keep your software up to date.
  8. Only install apps from trusted sources.
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Can you tell if your phone is hacked?

“The most common signs of a device being compromised are that the battery gets drained faster than usual, you experience spikes in your internet data usage although your browsing habits haven't changed, your GPS feature or internet (either Wi-Fi or mobile data) can be enabled or disabled by itself, and random ad pop- ...
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Can an iPhone get a virus?

Fortunately for Apple fans, iPhone viruses are extremely rare, but not unheard of. While generally secure, one of the ways iPhones may become vulnerable to viruses is when they are 'jailbroken'. Jailbreaking an iPhone is a bit like unlocking it — but less legitimate.
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What do I dial to see if my phone has been hacked?

After you discover your phone was hacked, you can take this number and file a police report. Just enter *#06# code utilizing the dialer pad on your device.
...
  • Helpful Codes to Make Sure Your Phone is Hacked?
  • Code *#06# for IMEI Check.
  • Code to Verify If Your Phone Is Being Tracked.
  • Call Redirection Code.
  • Time for a Conclusion.
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What does *# 21 do to your phone?

We rate the claim that dialing *#21# on an iPhone or Android device reveals if a phone has been tapped FALSE because it is not supported by our research.
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Can you tell if your phone is being monitored?

If someone is spying on your phone, you may see your device's data usage increase, your phone may unexpectedly reboot or show signs of slowing down. You may also notice activity, such as your device's screen lighting up when it is in standby mode. You may also notice your device's battery life suddenly decreasing.
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Is someone watching me from my phone?

The following signs may indicate that someone is using your phone's camera to watch you: Suspicious background apps. Camera misbehaving. Odd files and inexplicably low storage space.
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How do I clean my iPhone?

Using a 70 percent isopropyl alcohol wipe, 75 percent ethyl alcohol wipe, or Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, you may gently wipe the exterior surfaces of your iPhone. Don't use products containing bleach or hydrogen peroxide. Avoid getting moisture in any openings, and don't submerge your iPhone in any cleaning agents.
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How can I check my iPhone for viruses?

How to Check Your iPhone for a Virus or Malware
  1. Look for Unfamiliar Apps. One of the easiest ways to check your iPhone for a virus or malware is by determine whether you have any unfamiliar apps on your phone. ...
  2. Check if Your Device Is Jailbroken. ...
  3. Find Out if You Have Any Large Bills. ...
  4. Look at Your Storage Space.
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Can my iPhone be hacked?

Your iPhone can be hacked, though it isn't very common, and iPhones are safer than Androids. To protect your iPhone, don't click on suspicious links or give out your personal information. If your iPhone has been hacked, you might need to factory reset it or get a replacement.
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Can someone hack my bank account with my phone number?

With your phone number, a hacker can start hijacking your accounts one by one by having a password reset sent to your phone. They can trick automated systems — like your bank — into thinking they're you when you call customer service.
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Will reset phone remove hackers?

Reset your phone

The majority of malware can be removed with a factory reset of your phone. This will, however, wipe any data stored on your device, such as photos, notes, and contacts, so it is important to back-up this data before resetting your device.
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Can you get rid of a hacker in your phone?

Fix a hacked Android phone with a factory reset

A factory reset is a simple procedure that completely cleans your phone's internal storage. A factory reset deletes not only your photos, videos, messages, and other personal data, but also wipes out malware that lets hackers in.
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Can Apple detect viruses?

Apple never uses security alerts on its iOS devices, so whenever you encounter one you can be sure it's not legitimate. Common fake iOS security warnings include messages such as: Urgent action required! Viruses have been detected on your Apple iPhone.
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Does resetting your phone get rid of viruses?

On an Android device, a factory reset will generally remove a virus. The Android operating system uses an app on its recovery partition during a hard reset to restore factory settings. Malicious apps on mobile devices are less prevalent than desktop systems where antivirus software is crucial.
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What area codes should you not answer?

Unless you know that a call is legitimate, it's best to avoid calls from the following international area codes with a +1-country code:
  • 232: Sierra Leone.
  • 242: Bahamas.
  • 246: Barbados.
  • 284: British Virgin Islands.
  • 268: Antigua and Barbuda.
  • 345: Cayman Islands.
  • 441: Bermuda.
  • 473: Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique.
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