Robocalls for the previous owner of your number?

Why am I getting calls for someone else?

Phone numbers are a limited resource, so carriers recycle them. When a previous customer cancels or changes their line, that number goes back into a pool and is eventually reassigned — often to you. Any company, debt collector, or marketer that had the old owner on an automated calling list keeps dialing the same number, not realizing it now belongs to someone new.

The result: prerecorded voice messages, auto-dialer calls, and spam texts meant for a person you've never heard of, landing on your phone — sometimes several times a day.

Is this actually legal?

Often, no. The federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) generally prohibits prerecorded and auto-dialed calls to a cell phone without the current subscriber's prior express consent. Since the number was reassigned to you, you never gave consent — so many of these calls can violate the law, even though the caller was originally targeting someone else.

How much can a robocall be worth?

The TCPA sets statutory damages of $500 per violating call or text, which a court can increase to $1,500 for willful or knowing violations. When you're getting multiple illegal calls a week, the potential value adds up quickly.

How to stop the robocalls

1. Don't confirm the old owner's identity. Never say "yes, this is [name]" or share their information.
2. Ask to be removed and note it. Tell the caller the number was reassigned and request removal — then record the date and time.
3. Register with the National Do Not Call list at donotcall.gov.
4. Use call-blocking tools from your carrier or phone settings to screen suspected spam.
5. Keep everything. Save voicemails, screenshots, and your call log — this is the evidence that supports a claim.

Turn the nuisance into a claim

If the calls keep coming despite your requests, you may be entitled to compensation. Our free eligibility review checks whether the robocalls to your recycled number qualify under the TCPA — and if they do, we connect you with attorneys who handle these cases on a no win, no fee basis.