How to Detect and Survive a Three Way Call

Last Updated: March 18, 2021

When you call your friend, or they call you, do you ever get the feeling that that call was oddly different from the rest? Does your new 'friend' have the nasty habit of three-way-calling people to get dirt? Perhaps you have already become a victim of three-way calling? While you are very, very unlikely to die because your so called friend lets someone listen in on your phone call, if you do feel like your life might be in danger because of this situation, read this article to discover how to detect and avoid a very difficult situation.

Steps

1
Listen to the dialogue presented to you by the caller. Is the speaker directly prompting you to speak about a friend? To prompt you to speak about someone, they may use 'bait phrases', or pretend that they are also angry with someone.
2
Avoid using harsh and offensive words, phrases, or similes. In the case that there is a third party listening in, your words will be spread amongst those two people and more.

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3
Tune in your hearing, figuratively. Some people forget that there is a mute button, or their phone does not contain one. There also is the possibility that the third party is standing right next to the speaker, or the talker has the phone on speakerphone mode.
4
Direct the conversation to take a different turn. Does the speaker still attempt to bring up the person?
5
Don't dismiss their attempts to make you speak about someone directly. For all you know, it really just might be a friend trying to get a sympathetic ear. Even if this was the case, still try to avoid phrases that would only put you down to their level.

Community Q&A

Question

We are three people with the same carrier phone company. Can they interfere in phone calls without my knowledge?

Community Answer

If you're asking if the other people who use you phone company have some special ability to interfere in your phone calls, no, they do not. They can only call you normally like everyone else.
Question

How can I tell if someone is recording or listening in on my calls and texts?

Community Answer

There are some apps that you can download that supposedly help track any interference on your phone, but those aren't necessarily reliable. This article can suggest some other tips: How to Tell if Your Phone Is Tapped.
Question

Does an app exist that can detect 3-way calls and if the speaker is on?

Community Answer

Sadly no, you will have to invest in getting a separate device to detect and/or stop them.

Warnings

Never make one of these calls yourself. You'll A) Get a bad rep B) Be no better than the person you're plotting against and/or C) Be prone to get a taste of your own medicine someday.

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You've heard this phrase once and you'll hear it again here; "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."

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Whether or not you are suspicious of a phone call being three way or not, refrain from using words that can easily be reported to someone else to get you into trouble.

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Some phones have a feature which can tell you if your conversation involves two or more members. If your phone can detect it, end the call, unless the conversation is casual.

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