Why Am I Getting LinkedIn Calls Meant for Someone Else, and How Can I Stop People From Contacting Me?

If you are getting random phone calls from people who believe you are someone else on LinkedIn, you are not imagining it, and you are definitely not the only person dealing with this. It is frustrating, especially when your phone number is not even listed on your own profile. When the calls keep coming, it can feel invasive and confusing at the same time.

In the case described here, the problem sounds like a case of mistaken identity. Someone with the same name, in the same town, may be a doctor or public-facing professional, and searchers are somehow finding your number instead of theirs. That can happen through search engines, people-finder databases, old business listings, data brokers, or even incorrect profile associations across the web.

So the real question is not just “How do I stop people from contacting me?” It is also: where are they getting your number from in the first place?

Let’s break it down in a way that is practical and easy to follow.

Why this happens even if your phone number is not on LinkedIn

A lot of people assume that if their number is not displayed on LinkedIn, then LinkedIn cannot be the source of the issue. But the web is messier than that.

Here are a few common reasons this can happen:

• Search engines connect similar names: If two people share a name and location, Google or Bing results can blur things together.
• Data brokers publish personal information: Websites collect phone numbers, addresses, and name associations from public and commercial records.
• Old directories may still exist: A past listing, resume, business record, or local directory could still show your number.
• People are searching fast, not carefully: Someone may search a name, see a number, and call without verifying whether it is the right person.
• Profile or website scraping: Some third-party websites scrape data and create inaccurate profiles or mixed records.

In other words, LinkedIn may be part of the confusion, but not necessarily the source of your number being exposed.

First question to ask: where is your phone number publicly visible?

Before trying to stop the calls, it helps to figure out where the number is showing up online.

Try this:

• Search your full name in Google with your town in quotation marks.
• Search your phone number directly in Google.
• Check Bing as well, since some callers may be finding results there.
• Look through people-search websites and directory sites.
• See whether your number appears in cached pages, old resumes, business listings, or social profiles.

You may discover that your number is listed somewhere you forgot about years ago. Or you may find that a third-party site is incorrectly pairing your phone number with another person’s identity.

If you want a good overview of how personal information appears in Google Search, Google’s own help pages are useful: Google Search removal help.

What can you do right now to reduce the calls?

Here are the most useful steps, starting with the simplest ones.

1. Update your LinkedIn privacy settings anyway

Even if your number is not visible, it is still smart to review your privacy settings and account visibility.

• Go to your Settings & Privacy on LinkedIn.
• Check who can see your contact info.
• Review profile discovery and email/phone discoverability settings.
• Limit visibility to your connections if needed.
• Turn off public profile details you do not want indexed.

LinkedIn’s official privacy settings page can help: LinkedIn Settings and Privacy.

This may not solve the entire problem, but it rules out one possible access point.

2. Search for and remove your number from data broker websites

This step matters a lot. Data broker sites are one of the biggest reasons people receive unwanted calls.

Look for your information on sites like Whitepages, Spokeo, BeenVerified, TruePeopleSearch, and similar directories. Many of them have opt-out processes. It is annoying, yes, but it often helps.

Moz has a solid overview on handling data broker exposure here: How to remove personal information from Google and the web.

If your number is incorrectly connected to the other person, removing or correcting those records can cut down the calls over time.

3. Ask search engines to remove outdated or harmful results when applicable

If a search result is showing personal contact details that should not be public, you may be able to request removal or de-indexing, especially if the result is outdated or exposes sensitive information.

Google has a removal request process for some personal information. It does not always apply, but it is worth checking.

4. Use call screening and spam filtering tools

This will not fix the root cause, but it can make everyday life easier while you sort the problem out.

• Enable your phone’s built-in spam filtering.
• Use features like Silence Unknown Callers if it works for your situation.
• Block repeat numbers.
• Use Google Voice, carrier spam protection, or apps that screen suspicious calls.

If the calls are frequent, this can give you some breathing room.

5. Answer with a short script once, then disengage

If the callers are simply confused patients, clients, or contacts trying to reach the other person, a short calm response can help:

“I think you have the wrong person. I’m not Dr. [Name], and this number does not belong to that business or practice.”

You do not need to overexplain. Keep it brief. If the same organization keeps calling, ask them to remove your number from their records.

6. If one clinic, office, or directory is causing most of the calls, contact them directly

Sometimes the issue comes from one bad listing being copied everywhere else. If you can trace the source to a medical office listing, directory page, or public database, contact the site owner or office manager and explain that your phone number is being incorrectly associated with someone else.

That one correction can sometimes reduce the issue faster than blocking dozens of callers.

Could this be a reputation or identity confusion problem?

Yes, and that is worth taking seriously.

Ask yourself:

• Is the other person more publicly visible than you?
• Do you share the same first and last name exactly?
• Do you both live in the same city or nearby?
• Does your number appear in local records or old online listings?
• Do the callers mention where they found your number?

If possible, ask one or two callers where they got your phone number. That small detail can help you trace the source much faster. If multiple people mention the same website, search result, or listing, you know where to focus your cleanup efforts.

What if this keeps happening for weeks or months?

If the issue continues, it may be time to think in terms of digital footprint management rather than just call blocking.

That means:

• Auditing your name and number across the web
• Removing inaccurate listings
• Improving the accuracy of your own public profiles
• Controlling what appears in search results for your name
• Making your professional identity clearer online if you use LinkedIn actively

This is especially relevant if you use LinkedIn for work, networking, recruiting, or personal branding. Name confusion can affect more than annoying calls. It can also affect trust, search visibility, and how people identify you online.

If you want a plain-English explanation of LinkedIn privacy and public visibility, this video may help: LinkedIn privacy settings overview on YouTube.

A simple action plan you can follow today

If you want the short version, here is the practical checklist:

• Search your name and number online to find the source.
• Review LinkedIn privacy settings and reduce public visibility where needed.
• Opt out of data broker sites showing your number.
• Request correction or removal from any inaccurate listing.
• Use spam filtering tools while cleanup is in progress.
• Ask callers where they found your number so you can identify patterns.
• Document repeat issues if one source keeps causing the problem.

That is usually the best mix of immediate relief and long-term correction.

Final thought

If people keep contacting you for someone else, the problem is usually bigger than one LinkedIn setting. It is often a combination of search visibility, public data, and mistaken identity online. The good news is that this is fixable, or at the very least, it can usually be reduced a lot with a little cleanup.

If this kind of issue overlaps with your professional presence, brand visibility, or LinkedIn reputation, it helps to have someone look at the bigger digital picture. That is one of the reasons brands and professionals work with teams like EXEED Digitals. They support businesses with LinkedIn strategy, profile positioning, visibility, and outreach systems, and they understand how online identity and contact pathways can affect trust. If you are trying to make your LinkedIn presence clearer, safer, and more intentional, EXEED Digitals is worth a look. We usually provide support with these types of concerns, and our LinkedIn services have helped hundreds of brands build stronger, more controlled visibility on LinkedIn.

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