Voicemail greeting cheat sheet for when your number is being spoofed
- author
- Marcus Vell
- published
- updated
- status
- reviewed
TL;DR Under twenty seconds. Say you did not make the calls, ask people not to call back unknown numbers, invite a real message. No full name, no address, nothing a scammer could reuse.
Order of operations
- Check your carrier's usage record for outgoing calls at the times people mention. None means spoofing.
- Record the greeting (below).
- Send the short texts (further down).
- Report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and secure the account.
- Keep a dated note of each callback, and review it after a week.
Wording to copy
Three tones, pick the one that sounds like you and adapt the words.
| Your situation | Greeting |
|---|---|
| Strangers are calling back about calls you never made | You've reached this voicemail. If you're returning a call from this number, I didn't make it. My number is being used by someone else. Please don't call back unknown numbers. Leave a message if you need me. |
| Callbacks and real calls are mixed together | I can't take your call right now. If I called you recently and you're not sure, I probably didn't. Someone is using my number. If you know me, leave your name and a reason, and I'll call you back. |
| Volume is low and you only want to be safe | Leave a message with your name and why you're calling. Please note my number may be used by others without my knowledge. |
| A wave has just started and you want it firm but calm | This number is being used by someone else to place calls. If you are returning one, I did not make it and cannot help with it. Please don't call back unknown numbers. If you are trying to reach me, leave your name and the reason. |
| You want the shortest version that still works | If you're returning a call from this number, I didn't make it. Someone else is using my number. Please don't call back. |
Each one carries the same three facts: your number may be misused, what the caller should do, and how a genuine message can reach you. Read yours aloud before recording. If it runs past twenty seconds, cut it.
Leave out
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| Full name, address, employer, relatives' names | Scammers harvest them. A neutral greeting reveals less. |
| "I'm traveling until Friday" | Useful to the wrong listener. |
| Accusations against a person or company | You do not know who is behind the calls. |
| Carrier name, account details, a new number | Nobody calling needs them, and an unverified callback number invites trouble. |
The default robotic greeting that reads out your number is also a neutral choice. A custom message without your name is usually better.
Where to record it
| Phone | Path |
|---|---|
| iPhone | Phone > Voicemail > Greeting > Custom > Record, then Save |
| Carrier voicemail, no visual voicemail | Dial your voicemail and follow its menu |
| Android, Google Phone app | Phone > three-dot menu > Settings > Voicemail, then look for a greeting option |
| Samsung, carrier-branded phones | Own voicemail app, menus differ, check the maker's or carrier's help page |
Afterward, call your own voicemail from another phone and listen for background noise, a long pause, or a voice more nervous than you meant.
- Quiet room. A TV in the next room is the usual culprit.
- Even pace. Rushed greetings sound like a scam message themselves.
- One take is not a rule. Record twice, keep the calmer one.
- Paste the wording into a notes app, so you can record it again without starting from scratch.
- Dated note. Write down the day it went up. It marks when you first noticed, which helps if you ever have to explain a timeline.
Texts to send
| To whom | What to say | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Friends and family | My number is being used by someone else. I didn't call anyone. Ignore calls that seem to come from me unless I've texted to confirm. | One text, and ask them to pass it on if someone they know mentions it. |
| A stranger who texts or calls back | I didn't call you. My number is being misused. Please don't call it back. | Same message every time. Calling back reaches the wrong person. |
| A caller who sounds frightened or threatening | Nothing. Keep the voicemail and do not argue. | If you feel unsafe, contact local authorities. |
Strangers get the short reply or none at all. Answering every one of them eats your days and tells them the number is live.
Keep it up or take it down
- Keep it until confused voicemails become rare. A couple of weeks, longer if the spoofing continues.
- Do not remove it after one quiet day. Campaigns come in waves, a pattern visible in your call log if you keep notes.
- Know its limit. It is a courtesy to the people receiving calls, not a defense against the person making them. A very personal greeting also tells a list-builder a live person manages this line.
- Do the real defense elsewhere: strong password, a PIN or port-out protection from your carrier (names vary), a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Ask text senders to forward the message to 7726 (SPAM).
- Spam label? Text friends first, ask your carrier whether a label is attached, and ask about disputing it. Speed varies.
- Tell family in one text: your number is being used, you did not call, ignore calls from you unless you confirm by text.
Background: what to do if someone uses your number, and the mirror case in calls from your own number.