How to spot and stop robocalls
- Kim Thompson: Better Business Bureau
- October 2, 2020
- 1662
Robocalls are an annoying epidemic for both consumers and businesses. Americans' phones ring an approximate 2,000 calls per second, but we’re fighting back.
The Federal Communications Commission is cracking down on scam callers by issuing hundreds of millions of dollars in enforcement actions against illegal robocallers. We have call-blocking apps now, cell phone providers are offering blocking services and the United States has passed legislation to help tackle the problem.
So what is a robocall?
If you answer the phone and hear a recorded message instead of a live person, it's a robocall. Calls use a computerized autodialer to deliver a prerecorded message to a home landline or wireless number. Many different scams use robocalls, from bogus companies claiming to lower utility bills or credit card rates, government grants, extended vehicle warranties, vacation packages and calls from individuals posing as IRS agents.
What types of robocalls are allowed?
Year 2020 is an election year in the United States, and recorded messages regarding candidates running for office are allowed, as are messages from charities asking for donations. Messages that are solely informational (for example, a reminder from your doctor’s office) are permitted. Prerecorded messages from banks and telephone carriers also are exempt from these rules if the organizations make the calls themselves.
How do I know if a robocall is illegal?
An immediate red flag is if the recording is trying to sell you something. If the recording is a sales message and you haven’t given your written permission to get calls from the company on the other end, the call is illegal.
A telemarketer must have your written consent, whether through paper or electronic means, to receive a call or message. Simply buying a product or contacting a business with a question does not give them legal permission to call you. Telemarketers also must allow you to opt out of receiving additional telemarketing robocalls during a prerecorded message through an automated menu.
How to avoid robocall scams:
Hang up. If you pick up the phone and get a recorded sales pitch, hang up. The call is illegal. Don’t speak to them. Don’t press a button to supposedly remove your name from a list, as that could result in even more calls. Hang up. Furthermore, if you see a call that says it’s from the IRS or Social Security Administration, don’t trust it. Scammers know how to fake the Caller ID information.
Block. You can reduce the number of unwanted calls you get by using call-blocking technologies. Your options differ depending on the model of your phone, service provider and whether you use a traditional landline or internet phone service. Visit www.ftc.gov/calls for advice.
Report. After you hang up, report the unwanted or illegal call to the FTC at www.ftc.gov/complaint. The more information they have about the call, the better they can target their law-enforcement efforts.
What you can do to stop robocalls
Consumers can help the government combat robocall scams by reporting the calls they receive. Follow the FCC guidelines and advice regarding robocalls at www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/stop-unwanted-robocalls-and-texts. In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission initiative provides telecommunications companies and other partners with known robocallers’ telephone numbers every day. The FTC collects scammers’ telephone numbers from consumer complaints, and the more consumers who report numbers, the faster it can develop its blacklist database.
Report a scam call at www.donotcall.gov. Consumers also can report robocalls to www.BBB.org/ScamTracker. BBB shares Scam Tracker information with government and law-enforcement agencies, so every piece of information is helpful in tracking down scammers.
Visit www.BBB.org/canton or call 330-454-9401 to look up a business, file a complaint, write a customer review, read tips, follow on social media and more.