New Yorkers Receiving Creepy Phone Calls That Simply Say ‘Goodbye’

You pick up the phone and there’s nothing but silence. Then a voice calmly says one word: “goodbye.” Click.

A growing number of people across New York say they’ve been receiving these strange calls, leaving many wondering if it’s a prank, a scam or something even more unsettling.

Some people report hearing nothing but dead air before the voice speaks. Others say the call disconnects before they can respond. Either way, it’s enough to creep out just about anyone.

The 'Good Bye' Call Explained

While the call may feel creepy, experts say there is a simple explanation.

The description of these mysterious calls sounds like the work of automated telemarketing systems known as predictive dialers. These computer systems automatically call thousands of numbers at once and then connect answered calls to available sales agents.

The problem happens when more people answer than there are agents available.

When that occurs, the system may briefly pause or play a short recorded message before disconnecting. In some cases, that message is simply “goodbye.”

Consumers often interpret these hang-up calls as harassment or something more sinister, but they are commonly linked to telemarketing campaigns, surveys, debt collection calls, or other mass-dialing operations.

Should You Answer These Calls?

If your phone rings from a number you don’t recognize, the safest move is usually to let it go to voicemail.

Picking up can confirm that your number is active, which may lead to more calls later.

If you do answer and hear silence or a strange automated message, hanging up immediately is generally recommended.

Blocking the number can sometimes help, although many robocall systems rotate through different spoofed phone numbers, making it difficult to prevent callbacks.

How To Reduce The Chances Of Getting More Calls

Experts generally recommend not interacting with suspicious callers, even if a message prompts you to press a number to be removed from a list.

Registering your number on the National Do Not Call Registry can help reduce legitimate telemarketing calls, but it won't do anything to stop scammers.

Many smartphones and carriers now offer built-in spam filtering that can automatically flag or silence suspicious calls, but the technology is having trouble keeping up with new, sneaky ways that spammers are targeting victims.

For now, the best strategy is just letting these unknown calls go to voicemail and blocking repeat offenders. But you can rest assured that you're not the star of a horror film and those "goodbye" calls are (most likely) not coming from inside the house.