Do illegal robocalls have your phone ringing off the hook?

 

Does this scenario sound familiar?

You’re in the middle of dinner and your phone rings. Maybe the number looks familiar. Perhaps the first few digits are the same as your number … you may even be looking at your entire number.

You answer the call, and on the other end is not a live person but instead … a robotic voice.

You are the recipient of a robocall. And while many robocalls are made by legitimate entities looking to conduct legitimate business, it is estimated that 40% of all robocalls are fraudulent.

 

How It Works

• Illegal robocalls made by scammers often use "spoofing" technology to mask their true origin, and may change the caller ID to look similar to your own phone number. A recent AARP study showed that 59% of us are more likely to answer if the caller ID shows a local area code. • The robotic voice on the other end might claim to represent a utility, a name-brand company or a government agency, or it may offer you a free trip, cheap health insurance or a low-interest loan. • You may be prompted to press "1" to be removed from the list.

 

What You Should Know

• Illegal robocalls make up a fast-growing share of phone traffic, making it all the more important to be on guard for automated scams. • Even just pressing a key or answering a question alerts scammers that they've hit on a "live" number, and your number will be added to even more lists that are bought and sold among criminals.

 

What You Should Do

• Let calls go to voicemail or your answering machine if you aren't 100% sure who is calling you. Listen to the message and if it's a threat from a government agency, a utility company or some other entity, know that it is a scam. • If you do pick up on a suspicious robocall, once you realize it's suspicious, hang up without engaging. If the caller claims to be from a legitimate-sounding entity, hang up and call that entity on a number you know to belong to them. • Explore free and low-cost call-blocking options, such as apps and services that screen calls and weed out spam and scams. Ask your phone service provider if it offers any such tools. • Report scam calls to the proper authorities. Every report helps authorities piece together a fuller picture of what scammers are doing.

 

When it comes to fraud, vigilance is our number one weapon. You have the power to protect yourself and your loved ones from scams. Please share this alert with friends and family and visit the Fraud Watch Network for more information. Sincerely, Kathy Stokes AARP Fraud Watch Network

P.S. There is some good news on this front. The Pallone-Thune TRACED Act was enacted on December 30, 2019. One of the key features of this AARP-backed measure requires telephone companies to eventually adopt technology to verify that a call is coming from where the caller ID says it's coming from. The law also requires carriers within a year to offer robocall blocking services at no additional charge. While this won't end all illegal and unwanted robocalls, it could drastically reduce the volume.

 

Get Help

To report a scam or for help if you or a loved one has fallen victim, contact the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline.

CALL 877-908-3360

 

Receive AARP Watchdog Mobile Alerts*

Text "FWN" to 50757 to sign up.