Your phone rings, you pick up and say hello. On the other end: total silence. No one answers, and the call abruptly disconnects. If you don’t already use spam call blockers, you’ve almost certainly run into this situation before.

In most cases, these are scam calls. Today, we explain why these calls happen, what the callers want from you, and how to protect yourself. Most importantly, we’ll look at whether you even need to bother protecting yourself against them in the first place.

Who’s calling?

It’s not just scammers on the line — robots, legitimate call center operators, and ordinary folks make these calls too. Let’s break down each type of caller — ordered from best-case to worst-case scenario for your security.

Actual person

The most harmless scenario is that an actual person called you, but their microphone is acting up. Maybe they accidentally muted themselves with their ear, or their smartphone connected to a Bluetooth headset, speaker, or car system that isn’t capturing their voice. Carrier glitches can also mute one side of a call. The caller might have no idea there’s a problem — as far as they know, they are speaking, but no one can hear them. In cases like this, you usually recognize the incoming phone number.

If the call comes from an unknown number, there’s still no need to panic — though the list of those who might be calling gets much longer.

One legitimate possibility is a call center agent who simply didn’t pick up or connect their headset in time. Call center systems are designed to dial numbers faster than agents can wrap up their calls. The system tried to route the call to a human, but no reps were available. That’s why you sometimes have to wait a few seconds before hearing a single word, or why you might hear ringing tones as if you were the one making the call.

Robot or AI

Silence on the line is a common sign of robocalls. Robots test whether a phone number is active and, if it is, pass it along to a human — meaning a real sales rep (or scammer) will call you back in the next few days. It’s worth noting that scammers aren’t the only ones making these pinging calls. Legitimate call centers use the exact same tools to reduce the workload on their live agents.

An AI agent could also be behind the silent call. To the person answering, there’s no practical difference: the call looks identical to one made by a standard bot. However, AI can do more than just auto-dial numbers — it can analyze your response and use that data to decide whether your number is active and ready to be handed off to a live person for follow-up.

Unwanted caller

Now we get to the real threat. Perhaps one of the most dangerous and unpleasant sources of silent phone calls is a scammer. A quick, silent call like this can actually be the groundwork for a long, elaborate attack with cover stories about loans, government agencies, other fraudsters, even law enforcement.

Debt collectors might also be calling and staying quiet. Your number could end up on their radar if you, your family, or close contacts have outstanding debts. In these cases, a silent call is often used as a tactic for psychological pressure.

A similar technique is used in stalking. While silent calls cause no direct harm on their own, they can be leveraged to induce anxiety, create a feeling of being constantly watched, and cause ongoing emotional distress.

Why do they call and stay silent?

When you pick up, you likely respond out of habit with a quick “Hello?” or “Hi there.” That’s all it takes for the other party to gather a wealth of data. While this information used to be difficult to process, the rise of artificial intelligence has made the task significantly easier. Let’s look at what someone can learn about you from just one spoken word:

• Region, accent, and location. Scammers are sophisticated and cunning. Their tactics are often tailored by region — targeting residents of specific countries or even regions within them. This is especially relevant in places like India or South Africa, which have 22 and 11 official languages, respectively.
• Approximate age and gender. While a human listener might easily confuse a teenager’s voice with a young woman’s or misjudge someone’s age entirely, AI is far better at picking up on subtle vocal nuances. Knowing your age and gender helps scammers refine their playbook for future social engineering attacks.
• Times you’re available. If you answer the phone in the morning, afternoon, or late at night, attackers can schedule their follow-up call during the exact time window when you’re most likely to pick up.
• Likelihood of a successful attack. AI can automatically assess the potential value of a target. For instance, if someone answers quickly, speaks calmly, and doesn’t immediately hang up on unknown numbers, they’ll likely be assigned a higher priority for follow-up calls by live scam operators.

Back to the “why do they call and stay silent”, the main reason is to harvest biometric data. Just a few seconds of recorded audio can help cybercriminals create a voice deepfake. While one or two words might not yield a convincing clone on their own, attackers can stitch together recordings from multiple silent calls to build a believable replica.

This technology is already being used in real-world scams. Impersonating a relative, colleague, or boss, fraudsters can urgently ask you to send them money, to share a two-factor authentication code for government services, or to complete some other seemingly innocuous request. The more realistic the deepfake sounds, the harder it is to spot the scam — especially when backed by a convincing backstory.

What to do if you get a silent call?

If you answer a call, say a few words, and hang up, there’s no need to panic. However, that brief interaction can confirm to attackers that your number is active and that you’ll answer calls from unknown numbers. As a result, your phone number could end up on target lists for future spam or scam campaigns. That said, it’s important to remember that a single silent call poses no immediate security threat.

Here are a few tips to help you stay calm and avoid falling for scam tactics if those silent calls are becoming a problem:

• Don’t answer calls from unknown or hidden numbers. Here’s a helpful tip: if someone genuinely needs to reach you, they’ll find another way to do so, or keep calling from the exact same number at various times. Scammers almost always dial from different numbers, while automated bots operate on a rigid schedule — like calling every day at precisely 8:05 AM.
• Don’t rush to call back. Scammers often count on proactive victims who are curious enough to return calls from unfamiliar numbers. On top of that, calling back could end up costing you money if it’s a premium-rate number.
• Don’t speak first. Wait for the caller to greet you before starting a conversation. If you hear muffled noise or complete silence on the line, hang up and save yourself the hassle — it’s likely a scam.
• Block unknown numbers — even after the call. If you picked up and realized the call could be risky, it’s best to block the number right away. You can use the built-in features on most modern smartphones to do this.
• Don’t share your number everywhere. Phishing sites, fly-by-night web pages, and sketchy giveaways often exist solely to collect your personal data. When filling out forms online, it doesn’t hurt to use a burner or secondary number.
• Get a second phone number. Separate your daily life between two numbers. Use your main line strictly for family, friends, and work contacts, and reserve the secondary line for deliveries, online marketplaces, and general web sign-ups.

Further reading on scammers and deepfakes:

• They’re reading you like a book: scammers’ favorite tricks
• How to recognize a deepfake: attack of the clones
• The great messaging heist targeting your wallet
• You’re in for a big payout again
• Scareware: fake threats, real risks

Virtually every website selling products or services features a live chat widget. It usually appears as a small window in the corner of your screen, complete with an agent’s name and picture.

Sometimes these chats simply collect tickets for tech support or sales to process. But often there’s a real person on the other end of the screen. And here’s where many users get an unwelcome surprise: agents can see absolutely everything you type into the chat box, even if you have no intention of sending it. In this article, we break down why this happens and what you can do about it.

All in the name of customer experience

It’s all thanks to a feature known as live typing preview, or real-time typing view, which exists under one name or another in almost every popular customer chat platform. Here’s how the developer of LiveAgent, a customer support system used by more than 40 000 companies, describes it in its blog: “This live chat typing preview allows agents to anticipate questions and deliver faster responses. Additionally, real-time chat monitoring enables supervisors to oversee chat interactions, ensuring quality and timeliness.”

While that might sound helpful and harmless to some, having their unsent messages watched without their permission can trigger outright panic for others. To make matters worse, it’s almost impossible to tell whether the website uses the feature. That is, unless the chat agent admits it to you directly… or replies to a message you decided not to send.

As an alternative, you can run a quick test: type out a message in the chat box, wait 15 seconds, and see if the agent starts typing a response. If they do, you’re almost certainly dealing with real-time typing view. Whether to continue that conversation is up to you. Most importantly, never type personal information into a chat box — even if you are doing so from a Kaspersky Premium device.

Real-time typing view is just the tip of the iceberg. In reality, websites collect far more information than you might think. You’re likely already familiar with cookies, and have probably asked yourself at least once, “Should I accept these or not?” We answer that and other questions in our post Taking the biscuit: why hackers like cookies so much.

Tracking techniques that use web beacons and tracking pixels are not as widely known. To learn why they’re a concern and how to turn them off, check out our post Who is tracking you on the web and how.

Another technology that remains largely unknown to the general public is session replay scripts. These tools allow website owners to watch a recording of your visit: how fast you moved your cursor, where you clicked, which pages you browsed, and what you added to your shopping cart.

Of course, the primary goal of session replay is the same as real-time typing view: improving customer and user experience. It helps companies analyze your behavior, identify friction points, and make improvements. If a customer fails to complete a checkout or encounters a technical issue, developers can review the recording of their session to pinpoint what went wrong.

In theory, it sounds helpful enough: “We will collect a small amount of data about you to make the site better for you.” In practice, however, this approach comes with significant risks for users.

What’s the catch?

The primary risk here lies in whether websites collect this data legally, how they store it, and whether they share it with anyone. While you can usually gauge legality by reading their privacy policy, the terms of data storage and sharing are often described vaguely.

On top of that, users rarely realize an agent can read their message before it’s actually sent. If you change your mind about asking a question, edit a sentence, or delete your text entirely, that doesn’t mean no one saw the draft. Unlike cookies, opting out of this technology is practically impossible. Most chat widgets simply don’t offer a setting to disable typing previews.

As for tracking pixels, web beacons, and session replays, they’re essentially a form of digital surveillance. Beyond collecting vast amounts of data, they can also slow down your device’s performance. Even worse, if attackers compromise a website’s analytics system, they can gain access to this data, reconstruct your path through the site, and uncover details that can be leveraged in future attacks. To learn more about how scammers pull off these tricks and how social engineering works, check out our post They’re reading you like a book: scammers’ favorite tricks.

While you can’t prevent a potential breach on a third-party website, you can — and should — take steps to secure your own browsing session.

What you can do about it

First and foremost, pay close attention to what you type in a chat box. It’s critical never to share personal data, credit card numbers, logins, passwords, or any other sensitive information with live chat agents.

Beyond that, there’s always a risk of landing on a phishing site and entering your account credentials there. To prevent this, we recommend using our security solutions, which block visits to malicious and suspicious websites. We also suggest storing your credentials in Kaspersky Password Manager — our password manager won’t let you auto-fill saved logins and passwords on a fake site.

Users of Kaspersky Standard, Kaspersky Plus, and Kaspersky Premium have access to our Private Browsing feature (on Windows and macOS). It prevents third-party services from tracking your online activity and collecting real-time information about what you do on websites.

To minimize the risk of data leaks, keep these tips in mind:

• Never type anything into a chat box that you aren’t prepared to send. On almost every website, the agent can see your text while you type, so deleting a message is no guarantee it stays private.
• Keep in mind that your activity on a website may be recorded. These recordings can capture your clicks, page navigation, and form inputs. Treat every website as if your actions are being watched.
• Pay attention to privacy policies. Reputable companies typically state whether they use analytics tools, session recording, or third-party support services.
• Approach chat interactions with caution. Real-life rules apply here as well: never share verification codes, passwords, phone numbers, or other sensitive details in a chat.
• Be smart about accepting cookies. Taking a moment to check what information a website collects is well worth the effort — it helps you make an informed choice about whether you’re comfortable sharing that data.

Tired of endless digital tracking? Here’s how you can protect yourself and your data:

• How to shrink your digital footprint
• Why data brokers build dossiers on you, and how to stop them doing so
• Turning purple: how visited links threaten your privacy
• How smartphones build a dossier on you
• The incognito myth: how private browsing really works
• Advertisers sharing data about you with… intelligence agencies

Starting last year, Android users have been seeing the “number is now verified” system notification more frequently. And in some cases people even find mysterious outgoing text messages in their history that they never sent.

These messages often cause confusion and even anxiety: has a virus infected the phone? Are tech giants spying on our phone numbers? Let’s break down how this feature works, and what potential risks it poses to your privacy.

Why all these phone number verifications?

The notification pops up whenever Google’s phone number verification feature is triggered on your device.

Its main job is to make sure that the SIM card tied to a specific phone number is physically inside the phone. Once verified, that phone number automatically links to all active Google accounts on the device.

There are several key services that rely on the verification. Most importantly, it drives Rich Communication Services (RCS) — the modern standard for “rich” messaging right inside your standard text messaging app. It feels like a popular chat app, but without the need to install anything extra. Unlike iMessage, which is locked to Apple’s ecosystem, RCS works across compatible smartphones on various platforms since it’s an industry standard set by carriers rather than tech giants. Since recently, both Apple and Android users have been able to exchange RCS messages. For this feature to work in the Google Messages app, Google needs ongoing confirmation that your SIM card is active. If you pull out your SIM card, RCS chats will keep working for about eight days before turning off automatically.

According to Google, phone number verification serves several other purposes as well:

• Account security and recovery. A verified phone number enables quick sign-ins to your Google account, two-factor authentication, and easy password recovery.
• Emergency services and device location. This includes Find My Device, remote phone lock, and sharing your location with emergency responders — including via satellite messaging on the Pixel 9 and certain other modern smartphones.
• Better sharing on Google. This feature helps other people find you faster on Google Meet or Duo, use Quick Share to send you files, and see that the phone number is linked to your profile.

Google also recently confirmed that this data is used to counter scams. Verification helps block calls or text messages from spoofed numbers if both the real owner of the number and the recipient are using Android devices with verified phone numbers.

How does Google verify phone numbers?

Phone number verification technology has been around on Android for quite some time — Google was sending test SMS messages as far back as in 2019. However, it became widely visible to most users following a Google system update in September 2025. The process was baked deeper into the operating system, with number verification now running by default during initial phone setup, and re-running periodically in the background.

There are two main technical methods for the verification process. Which one your device uses depends on your mobile carrier and your version of Android.

The older method relies on hidden text messages. In the background, your smartphone sends a specialized technical text message to Google’s servers. The operating system intercepts this message before you ever see it, which is why it rarely appears in your standard text messaging app. However, due to software glitches or Android customization quirks, these texts occasionally surface in sent messages, startling users. They typically look like this: “(string of letters and numbers) Google is re-verifying the phone# of this device.” Google explicitly notes in its help documentation that standard messaging rates from your carrier may apply.

In recent years, direct carrier verification (via carrier APIs) has become the primary verification method. This approach is more modern and secure than previous ones. The smartphone sends an encrypted token containing device and SIM card identifiers to the mobile carrier, and the carrier responds with the confirmed phone number. The whole process takes just a couple of seconds and runs completely unnoticed by the user. Both global telecom giants and smaller providers have connected to this verification network. Notably, third-party apps can also tap into the results of this check through Firebase Phone Number Verification, getting confirmation from your mobile carrier about which phone number is active on the device.

“Other device data” and privacy concerns

In its official documentation, Google notes that device identifiers and SIM card data may be collected during verification. In practice, this refers to unique identifiers for the SIM card and its subscriber profile (ICCID and IMSI), as well as technical device identifiers needed to run mobile networks. Google also explicitly states that it does not sell your personal information, including your phone number, to anyone.

Naturally, sending additional unique identifiers to Google — especially given the scale of its advertising business — always raises concern among privacy-conscious users. Here’s what you should keep in mind:

Metadata collection. To run RCS, Google exchanges data with your mobile carrier. Even when the content of RCS messages is encrypted, metadata — such as who is messaging whom and when — can still be stored on your carrier’s servers, and in some cases, on Google’s servers. As cybersecurity experts at the Electronic Frontier Foundation point out, if privacy is your top priority, you’re better off sticking to dedicated encrypted messaging apps.

Linked accounts. If you have both a personal and a work Google account (or a personal and a family account) set up on the same phone, the verified number will automatically link to both profiles. The operating system does not offer built-in tools to separate numbers for different accounts on a single device.

Phone number leaks. Apps on your device can already access various user identifiers, including your phone number. However, this verification system makes it easier to link multiple phone numbers to a user who has multiple Google accounts. And while Google states that it never sells phone numbers, you cannot say the same with confidence about obscure third-party Android developers.

On by default. The feature is enabled out of the box, and most users have no idea their device is silently querying their carrier in the background. While you can opt out in your Google settings once you notice it, there’s no guarantee that any data already collected will actually be deleted.

Turning off verification — why and how

For most users, verification is genuinely helpful. It simplifies account recovery, makes finding a lost phone easier, powers modern text messaging features, and assists emergency services when every second counts.

However, if you want to minimize the amount of metadata sent to Google, mobile carriers, and other data brokers, you can manually disable the feature. Here’s how:

1. Open your Android smartphone’s settings.
2. Tap Google, select the account at the top, and switch to the All services tab.
3. Under Privacy and security, tap Phone number verification.
4. Turn off automatic phone number verification.

If you also want to disable Better sharing on Google, go to Settings → Google → Manage your Google Account → Personal info → Contact info → Phone, select your number, and turn off the setting.

If you have multiple Google accounts on your phone, you’ll need to repeat these steps for each one. Unfortunately, verification sometimes turns itself back on automatically, and there’s no reliable way to prevent this on standard consumer phones with stock software.

Keep in mind that disabling verification means losing access to RCS chats in Google Messages — forcing you to fall back on basic SMS, or switch to alternative secure messaging apps. You also won’t be able to use that number for quick account recovery should you forget your password.

To thoughtfully customize your privacy settings across all your devices — regardless of the operating system, browser, or app — check out our free online tool, Privacy Checker.

Curious about other privacy risks you might not even know exist? Check out our other deep dives, here:

• Post-breakup digital hygiene: what to check and shut down
• What happens in the bedroom stays in the bedroom
• Is telehealth actually safe?
• Predator vs. iPhone: the art of invisible surveillance
• Brain drain: vulnerabilities in mental health apps

A breakup is a major upheaval — the kind that turns life upside down. The familiar order of things, where two people shared the same interests, moments, and often even the same physical space, collapses in an instant, leaving each of you in a world of your own.

Besides that, couples are connected not just in real life, but digitally too. Shared subscriptions, saved addresses and passwords, access to joint cloud storage — all of that used to be woven into your day-to-day life. Moving on emotionally can take a long time, sure, but there are steps you can take right now that will tighten up your security — even if they won’t help you get over your ex.

Here’s what you need to check after a breakup, which services to disconnect, and why you should do it even if the split was amicable.

Digital hygiene: your insurance policy

Cutting off your ex’s access to your online accounts isn’t paranoia — it’s looking out for your own security. A breakup doesn’t automatically sever your digital ties: any access you granted each other during the relationship stays active until someone manually shuts it down. Most of the time, nobody’s plotting to actually exploit it, yet it can still lead to anything from awkward moments to a genuine risk of being tracked.

Take Aleta Dignard-Fung, of Las Vegas, who told NPR that after breaking up with her boyfriend, it didn’t immediately occur to her that he still knew her Spotify password. One day, in the shower with music playing, she noticed her playlist suddenly switch. Her ex had logged in from another device and started playing his own chosen tracks. “It was just kind of like the Spotify wars, and we’d just spend like 10 minutes trying to override each other’s songs,” she admitted. But the fallout isn’t always this lighthearted.

Relationship coach Susan Winter shared a case from her own practice in that same interview. One of her clients simply couldn’t let go of his ex-girlfriend after their breakup. The two had shared an OpenTable account — the restaurant reservation service — and she’d never revoked his access. He started tracking her bookings: where she was going, what time, how many people. That’s how he kept tabs on whether someone new had entered her life.

These two stories, while showing very different behavior from the exes involved, both trace back to the same root cause: accounts that were never properly locked down. In the former case, it led to an awkward moment. In the latter, it led to anxiety and a real sense of being watched. To make sure neither scenario happens to you, it’s worth running through a quick checklist.

Terminate your partner’s sessions

In the settings for your social media, messaging apps, email, and other key services, pull up the list of active sessions and log out everything except your current devices.

Change your passwords

Update the passwords to any key accounts your partner might have known — say, if you used a meaningful date as your password. If you reused the same password across multiple services, change it everywhere. While you’re at it, review your security questions and your backup email or phone number for account recovery — neither should still be tied to your ex. To skip the hassle of memorizing new credentials while still leveling up your security, we recommend using a password manager — it’ll generate a unique, strong password for every account, and save and sync it across all your devices; the only thing you need to remember is a single main password.

Check two-factor authentication and trusted devices

Make sure verification codes only go to your own device. Remove your partner’s devices from your trusted list — you can do this in your Apple and Google account settings.

Split up your shared Apple/Google accounts

If you shared an Apple or Google account, sign out of that. Turn off Family Sharing, iCloud, and backups. Check your shared photo albums too — anything that lands there automatically is visible to your ex as well.

Review your subscriptions

If you shared subscriptions — streaming services, family plans, that kind of thing — cancel them or set up new ones and link your own card.

Check your bank cards

If your ex’s card is linked to a marketplace, delivery app, or rideshare service account you own, remove it from your saved payment methods. If your card is linked to their account and you no longer have access to it, the safest move is to just get your card reissued.

Revoke smart home access

Cut off your ex’s access to cameras, video doorbells, GPS trackers, and smart speakers. If the devices were on a shared account, change the password or move them over to your own personal account.

Review your privacy settings

Check the privacy settings across your accounts on various services and social media using our free online tool, Privacy Checker. It walks you through a privacy configuration tailored to your operating system, platform, and even your browser.

If you notice signs of stalking

Reach out to advocacy or legal aid organizations — they can help you map out the best course of action. It’s also worth leaning on family and close friends who can support you through a tough situation. On Android devices, you can use our security suite with the Who’s Spying on Me feature. It’s designed to help you detect tracking and stalking so you can take the right steps to protect yourself. The feature includes:

• Stalkerware Detection. Flags apps designed to secretly monitor your life and collect data you’d never want shared with anyone else.
• Device Scanner. Finds planted trackers that let someone follow your movements and always know where you are.
• Permissions Control. Shows which apps have access to permissions that could make it easier for someone to spy on you or compromise your privacy.

What can actually help — and what might make things worse — during this difficult time? Check out our other posts:

• Love, AI & robots
• What happens in the bedroom stays in the bedroom
• How chatting with a bot can lead to tragedy
• AI and the new reality of sextortion
• Digital detox: How to take a safe break from screens
• Subscription security: how to protect your account, your wallet… and your sanity