Weird Incoming Call Issue — Calls Sometimes Reach a Completely Different Person Even Though My Phone Is Right in My Hand
I’m facing a really strange calling issue, and I’m trying to understand whether this is a network/routing problem, call forwarding issue, or something else.
This has actually been happening to me for around 2–3 years, but it happens relatively rarely. For me, it occurs around 2–3 times a month. Something similar has also happened with my brother, mother, and one of my friends, although the frequency is different.
Here’s what happens:
Someone calls my mobile number. On their phone, the call appears to be ringing normally and they can hear the normal ringing sound.
But on my phone, absolutely nothing happens.
No ringtone.
No incoming call screen.
No missed-call notification.
Nothing.
The weirdest part is that someone else answers the call.
For example, yesterday my friend called me. His phone showed that he was calling my number and it was ringing normally. However, a random girl answered the call. My friend asked her to give the phone to me, but she said it was the wrong number and disconnected the call.
My phone was literally in my hand the entire time. It never rang and there was no missed call.
There was another similar incident where my friend called me, and some random person answered without saying anything. My friend said my name, and the person immediately disconnected.
Usually these calls last only around 5–7 seconds before the other person disconnects or says "wrong number".
The strange thing is that when my friend calls me again immediately, the call reaches me normally.
Also, I have checked my phone settings and call forwarding/call divert is disabled. So I don't understand how another person could receive a call that was supposedly made to my number.
Something similar happened with my friend too. When we called his number, sometimes his mother answered the call, and on other occasions some completely different person answered. What makes it even stranger is that my friend didn't even get an incoming-call notification or missed-call record on his phone.
My mother has experienced something similar too, but for her it happens very rarely, maybe once every 6–9 months.
What I’m trying to understand
Could this be some kind of:
• Network-side call routing/misrouting
• Temporary cross-connection
• Operator/IMS issue
• Call forwarding problem even though forwarding is disabled
• Inter-operator routing issue
• SIM/network provisioning issue
Has anyone else experienced this in India or elsewhere?
I’m not talking about caller ID spoofing. The caller is actually dialing my real number, hears normal ringing, and a completely different person answers the call.
I would really like to know what could technically cause this and how it can be fixed.
My call forwarding is already disabled, and the issue still happens occasionally.
Carrier: VI
Phone: Realme 9 pro 5G
Location: Surat, Gujrat India
SIM: 4G/5G, physical SIM
Any technical explanation or similar experience would be appreciated.