Burner Phone Calls
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Posted here before about my ex. I feel in a much better place and have started therapy. However, I’ve noticed that I am now getting phone calls from burner numbers. I know these aren’t spam because I call them back and get a voicemail that says the subscriber of “texting app name” (I don’t want to advertise it) is not available. I looked up the app and it allows you to have a second phone number. Each time I block I get a call from another number a few days later. Nobody ever responds when I pick up and they never leave a voicemail either. It’s creeping me out. I don’t want to change numbers, but is there anything I can do?
Yes, just always decline and never pick up. I get a few calls a day from random numbers and I just hit decline and that’s it. I assume they’re all spam. If they leave a vm, I delete it, but they almost never do.
Your ex might be trying to reach you this way if you recently blocked him. But he’ll stop eventually if he never ever gets a reply. Why on earth do you pick up and why are you trying to call him back??
But, DID you block him on his real number and everywhere else? I’m thinking maybe you didn’t, since you’re picking up these unfamiliar calls? And if not, why would he go to the trouble of using a fake number app to call you? And if he’s trying this hard to reach you, why doesn’t he say anything? This makes me think it’s not even him. It could be the same kind of spam calls I get constantly, maybe the spammers are now using apps like this to get around blocked numbers. Or maybe it’s his girlfriend calling you. In any case, it’s just common sense to never ever pick up a number you don’t know. Bad actors will keep reaching out to you if they even occasionally get a response. They will only stop if they don’t.
I blocked him everywhere, and have blocked his known number. Also blocked the mystery numbers after each call. I’ve been picking up these calls because I’m waiting to hear back about some apartments I applied to. I initially thought they were callls from leasing agents so I would pick up. Eventually I got an apartment and they still continued. I got curious and called back one or two numbers and that is when I discovered the name of the app.
Right, so not giving him what he wants is the right move. Do not let him hear your voice. He’s sick.
I agree with blocking. I’m not familiar with how burner phones work, but if it is someone shady, they’ll get bored and move on if there’s no response. If it’s spam, my understanding is that engaging with the numbers that call or text (I get both!) means you’ll get more spam. Or, at least, that’s what I’ve heard. Ignore all numbers you don’t know. If it’s someone legit who wants to get a hold of you, they’ll leave a voicemail or send a text that makes sense.
Also, without knowing what kind of phone you have, I have an iPhone and for the most part, legitimate businesses or people now have their names or company show up as the caller even if they are not saved to my phone. It displays as the phone number, below which there is a name (or sometimes it’ll say “Maybe: Jane Doe”). But even then, doesn’t hurt to exert caution — I have a friend who fell for that bank/Zelle scam awhile back because she said she Googled the number whose calls she kept missing and it took her to her bank’s website, so she thought it was legit. The next time the number called, she answered, followed whatever instructions she was given, and was out several thousand.
Thanks! I just hate that I am playing the defensive with the blocking. Since I can’t prove it’s him, and because I don’t want to initiate conversation, I can’t tell him I want him to stop. I don’t even know how he’s getting so many numbers though I guess the app is unlimited. I checked the app and it allows for you to have several numbers at a time. And each time I Google a number it always shows as connected to the app and unfortunately is not considered “spam” by the iPhone.
There may be a way to limit incoming calls and texts to numbers you have saved in your phone. I’m not sure, but if this were happening to me, that’s something I’d do some research on. Maybe call your carrier to ask. You could do that as a temporary measure hoping whomever it is gives up.
