Robocalls — they're annoying, they're unrelenting, but they're not unavoidable. Here's what you need to know about robocalls, and how to avoid them.
Robocalls — they're annoying, they're relentless, but they're not unavoidable. Here's what you can do to take a stand against robocallers.
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| Americans get about 2.5 billion robocalls each month, according to the FCC. Photo: Getty Images |
In our technologically driven society, robocalls truly are a modern plague.
The Federal Trade Commision has reported a colossal
increase in the number of robocall complaints; skyrocketing from 1.7
million complaints in 2014 to 4.5 million in 2017. But those are just
the calls that are reported. The Federal Communications Commission
estimates that U.S. consumers get nearly 2.5 billion monthly robocalls — automated, prerecorded calls that regulators have labeled a “scourge,” according to FCC estimates.
YouMail, a company that blocks robocalls and tracks them,
estimated that 3.4 billion robocalls were placed in April in the United
States, an all-time high.
Last month, New York State Senator Brad Hoylman put forth
legislation that will ban robocalling without the receiver's prior
consent. The proposed legislation would also require phone companies to
offer consumers call-blocking technology free of charge.
New York is one of the most severely impacted regions in
the U.S. for robocalls, with the 917 area code ranking the 5th worst in
the nation for these irritating calls, according to YouMail.
By employing a crafty tactic that tricks you into thinking
the caller is local, telemarketers are now reaching more people than
ever — but thankfully, there are effective ways to eradicate robocalls.
According to the FTC, “neighbor spoofing” is the newest way
that telemarketers and robocallers are manipulating you into taking
their call. There is a vast array of widely available technology that
allows robocallers to hijack whatever telephone number they like, and
use it to spam unwitting consumers. Another way telemarketers engage in
neighbor spoofing is to license and purchase large quantities of
telephone numbers that they can then use to make the calls, however this
is legal so long as the numbers used redirect back to the company's
sales department.
The crazy case of a 'kingpin' robocaller
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission last month voted to issue a
$120 million fine to a Florida man alleged to have made almost 100
million robocalls to trick consumers with “exclusive” vacation deals
from well-known travel and hospitality companies.
In 2017, the FCC first alleged that Adrian Abramovich made 96 million
robocalls during a three-month period in 2016. In April, he told a
Senate panel that he was "not the kingpin of robocalling that is
alleged." Consumers who answered the calls were transferred to foreign
call centers that tried to sell vacation packages, often involving
timeshares. The FCC said the calls violated U.S. telecommunications
laws.
How can you get rid of robocalls?
The FTC has shared four pieces of advice for Metro readers who are fed up with these pesky calls.
1. Register for the Do Not Call Registry
Signing up to the Do Not Call Registry lets legitimate
companies know that you're not interested in receiving any more
telemarketing live calls and robocalls. As telemarketers must review
their call list every 31 days, you should be free of these calls from
legitimate companies in no time.
To sign up, log on to donotcall.gov or call their toll-free number on 888‐382‐1222 from the number you'd like to register.
2. Report unwanted calls
Communicating any unwanted calls to donotcall.gov allows the FTC to track the worst violators and keep an eye out for any patterns that may emerge.
3. Hang up
If you're already registered on the Do Not Call Registry
and you get a sales call, simply hang up. As legitimate companies must
heed the rules of the registry, any sales calls you receive after 31
days of being registered are more than likely illegal.
4. Download call blocking apps
There are dozens of quality call blocking apps available on
Apple's App Store or on Google Play. For landlines, reach out to your
telephone provider to discuss how you can enable a call blocking feature
to fend against robocalls.
Last year, the most common robocalls infecting telephones
across the U.S. included debt reduction services, vacation and timeshare
deals, and warranties and protection plans according to the FTC.
“Like so many New Yorkers, everyone in my family has been
annoyed by robocalls on a near daily basis," Senator Hoylman said in a
statement.
"These robocalls are a scourge on the public-at-large, and
my constituents have been vocal about the extent to which these calls
infringe on their privacy and interrupt their daily lives."
"Enough is enough."
Reuters contributed to this report.
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