How to Fake a Call to Get Out of an Event or Situation

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An easy and foolproof way to escape via a fraudulent phone call

Co-authored by Eric McClure Reviewed by Stan Kats

Last Updated: July 29, 2026 Fact Checked

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Apps That Fake Phone Calls

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Setting Up a DIY Fake Call

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Holding a Fake Conversation

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Video

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Q&A

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Tips

If you want to get out of something without ruffling any feathers or upsetting people, faking a phone call is a great way to get free. But there is an art to doing this without getting caught! In this article, we’ll show you how to fake a phone call using apps or your phone’s own alarm app. We’ll even break down how to handle the fake call without giving the game away!

How to Create a Fake Phone Call

Find a "fake a call" app in your phone's app store and install it. When you "answer" the fake call, put your phone on silent, and try to act natural. When you hang up, apologize, and let them know that you have to leave. If you don’t want to use an app, set an alarm up that matches your ringtone instead.

Section 1 of 3:

Fake Phone Call Apps

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1
Fake Call - Prank (Android) Fake Call - Prank is the best version of this app that we’ve found. Grant the app the permissions that it asks for (it’s safe, we tested it) so it can show notifications and display on top of other apps. Then, enter the phone number and caller ID info you want to call you, and schedule the call to appear at your desired time. It’ll appear exactly when you schedule it!^{[1]
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- You won’t hear anything on the other side of the line, but you can upload custom audio if you want to fake a very elaborate phone call. Simply record half of a conversation on your phone and then tap the “Add Voice” button to upload the audio.
- Well-reviewed alternative options: Fake Call - Prank Friends, Incoming Call - Fake Call, and Prank Caller: Voice & AI Chat.
2
Call Simulator - Speech Practice (iPhone) Call Simulator - Speech Practice claims to be an app for practicing talking on the phone, but it’s the perfect app for faking a phone call if that’s what you’re looking for. Give the app the necessary permissions when it prompts you, and then select when you want to receive the call and from whom. You’ll get the call when it’s scheduled!^{[2]
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- Well-reviewed alternative options: Fake Call Practice & Training and JuasApp Funny Calls.
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Prank Dial (web) Prank Dial is a very silly website where you can send yourself goofy and hilarious phone calls from strangers with various problems or issues with you. It’s perfect for sending yourself a random “emergency” call that you need to get out of a tight situation, and most of the calls are loud enough that anyone nearby is sure to hear the voice on the other end of the line.
- Most of the other fake phone call websites we’ve come across either try to charge you money for each call, or harvest your phone number for data collection. Prank Dial doesn’t appear to do either of those things, though! They will try to charge you after you use your 3 free phone calls, but you can always just open your browser in an incognito tab and get 3 more free calls.

Section 2 of 3:

DIY Tricks

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1
Set an alarm that matches your phone call ringtone. Both iPhone and Android allow you to set custom ringtones for alarms, so go into your phone’s alarm app and pick the time when you want the phone call to go off. When your alarm inevitably does, pick it up and turn the alarm off as if you’re answering a phone call.
- You have to hide the screen if you do this. The alarm screen will betray your plans here, so don’t let anybody see it when you “answer” the phone.
Most people don’t leave their alarm on all the time, and if you’re trying to fake a call in front of other people, vibration may be the better way to go since people won’t immediately turn to look at you as soon as the phone goes off, which may increase the odds you get away with this. To do this, in your alarm settings, select the alarm option to vibrate only. When your phone goes off, you’ll have a much easier time hiding the screen.
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Fake a voicemail instead of a phone call for a surefire solution. If you can enlist a friend, have them call you and leave a serious voicemail about something that requires your attention. Whenever they call, if there are other people around, check your phone and then silence it before putting it back in your pocket. Later, whenever you need to leave, find a second to check your voicemail, actually check it, and then explain to everyone that you’ve got an emergency and need to leave.
- This is the best option if you are really nervous about being found out. You’ll have an actual record of the voicemail to “prove” it’s real, and you won’t have to worry about getting caught acting out a full fake convo.
- Some ideas for the subject of the friend’s call if you want an easy out:
  - Your friend is stuck and needs help
  - There’s a work emergency
  - Your cat is missing
  - Your best friend got some bad news
  - You have a group project due in the morning and lost your work

Section 3 of 3:

Tips on Faking a Conversation

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1
Silence your phone before you “answer,” if possible. This move requires an extra step between the “ring” and the answering of the call, but if you do have time to flip the volume switch to silent (iPhone) or decrease the volume with the side buttons (Android), do it. This will prevent the worst-case scenario: someone calling your phone while you’re in the middle of the fake phone call.
- If your phone actually rings mid-call, people will know you were faking the call. The odds are totally in your favor if you skip this step (what are the chances someone actually calls in the 30 seconds when you’re faking the call?), but if it’s life or death, silence your phone.
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Keep the screen black by not pressing any buttons. Be mindful of where your fingers are on your hand while you’re “answering” the phone. If you touch any of the side buttons (or even the screen itself), your phone may illuminate. This is the single biggest tell that you’re having a fake phone call, so make sure that screen stays dark.
- If the screen does light up and someone notices, act like the other person randomly hung up.
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Allow the “other person” time to speak. Nerves may cause you to overspeak, but it’s really important not to talk the entire time you’re faking the call. Leave gaps in the conversation where the other person is talking, and you’re just listening. You might fake a call dialogue this way:
- You: Hey, what’s up?
- The Caller:… (wait for them to say “Hey, we’ve got a problem over here” in your head.)
- You: Oh yeah, what’s the deal?
- The Caller: … (wait for them to say “There’s a problem with the big project and we need you to come back into the office for a little bit” in your head.)
- You: It’s that serious? Can’t I come in tomorrow to do this?
- The Caller: … (wait for them to say “No, unfortunately this has to get done now. It shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes or so…” in your head.)
- You: Ugh, okay. I’ll be right there.
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Dismiss yourself if the “call” is supposed to be serious. Just put a finger up to your friends, family, or wherever you’re tricking and mouth the words “excuse me” or something like that. Then, walk away and find some privacy to finish your call (actually finish it—you have no idea who is watching). If you’re engineering a fake emergency to help get you out of something, the call is probably serious enough that you want privacy to finish it.
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Keep your voice as normal and steady as possible. People who fake phone calls tend to really overplay it when it comes to acting out the call. They speak really loudly so that other people notice they’re on the phone and hear what they’re saying, but nobody really talks on the phone like that. Use your normal voice and don’t ham it up with the volume or showmanship. You only need people to see you’re on the phone—they don’t need an entire theater show.

Community Q&A

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Question

Can I limit the number of times the alarm rings?

Community Answer

Yes. If you press snooze it will go off again within several minutes. If you press stop, it will not come on again.

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Set an alarm on your phone that will go off in 1-2 minutes and make the alarm tone the same as your ring tone. When you "pick up" the phone, just turn off the alarm and it will sound like you're answering the phone.

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