Pocket dialing

Typically, a call is caused by the person's movement changing the shape of the pocket in a person's clothing in such a way that a small amount of pressure is applied to some of the buttons, or in the case of a touch screen phone, a call can also be caused by the screen of the phone facing the person's body and a small amount of perspiration creating sufficient conduction through their clothing such that the capacitive touch screen detects their clothing as if it were a touch from the user's finger.

In addition to the inconvenience and embarrassment that may result from an erroneously dialed number, the phenomenon can have other consequences including using up a phone user's airtime minutes.

In 2013, an Arkansas man, who allegedly hatched an elaborate plan to murder a former employee, was arrested after he reportedly pocket dialed the victim and revealed the plot.

Nevada Taxicab Authority Chief Investigator Ruben V. Aquino, Jr. pocket dialed Morgan.

[8] Operators of emergency services telephone numbers, such as 911 and 999, report receiving many false alarms that are likely a result of pocket dialing.

These nuisance calls can result in a drain on operators' time, particularly during summer months,[9] which is possibly due to an increase in roller-coaster ridership.

[10] In 2014, a 9-1-1 operator in Florida received an accidental call from a meth lab in Volusia County, leading to the arrest of the three occupants for manufacturing and possessing methamphetamine.

On touch-screen phones, passcode screens often include a single button that, when touched for just a few seconds, will dial emergency services.

In the UK, calls to the emergency number 999 are generally assumed to be accidental if the caller does not speak and there are no suspicious sounds.