What to Do After a Spam Call

Stay calm. Most spam and scam calls succeed because they create urgency. If anything felt wrong, treat the interaction as untrusted until you verify it through an official channel.

• Hang up — do not continue the conversation or press menu options.
• Do not call back the number that appeared on caller ID; scammers use callback traps.
• Write down the number, date, time, and what the caller claimed (for reports).
• If you already shared sensitive information, skip to the recovery section below.

Before you assume a caller's identity, search the number on an independent directory. On CheckThatCall, enter the full 10-digit US number to see:

• Community spam scores based on structured user tags.
• Report breakdowns (robocall, telemarketing, scam types).
• How often others have searched the same number recently.

Lookup results are crowdsourced estimates — useful context, not proof of who called. Start a search on the homepage or browse your area code hub.

Community reports on CheckThatCall help other consumers; they do not replace official complaints. Consider filing with:

• FTC — reportfraud.ftc.gov for scams, fraud, and bad business practices.
• FCC — consumercomplaints.fcc.gov for unwanted calls and texts (including spoofing).
• Your state attorney general consumer protection office for local fraud trends.
• The real institution being impersonated (bank, IRS, Amazon) using verified contact details only.

If you lost money or shared account credentials, report promptly — recovery windows are often short.

After you search a number, you can submit a structured report (rating + predefined tag). We do not publish free-text comments — tags keep listings consistent and easier to read. Reports update spam scores for that listing and may help future searchers decide whether to answer or block.

Read our Community Guidelines — only report calls you actually received and tag them honestly.

• Contact your bank or card issuer immediately if payment details were disclosed.
• Change passwords on accounts that may be affected; enable two-factor authentication.
• Place a fraud alert or credit freeze with Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion if identity theft is a risk.
• Monitor statements and credit reports for unfamiliar activity.
• File an identity theft report at IdentityTheft.gov if accounts were opened in your name.
• Keep notes for law enforcement if you pursue a local report.

• Register your number on the National Do Not Call Registry (donotcall.gov) if you have not already.
• Be cautious sharing your mobile number on public forms and contests.
• Do not confirm or deny personal details with unknown callers.
• Review app permissions that may expose your contact information.

For recognition tips before you answer, see How to Spot a Robocall.

CheckThatCall provides informational lookup tools and community reports — we are not a government agency, carrier, or legal advisor. Spam scores reflect aggregated user tags, not verified findings. See our Disclaimer and About pages for how our data works.