18
L E H A V R E
N E W S
N O V E M B E R Robocalls: Sorry, Wrong Number
BY JILL DAVIS
You may have been hearing about
the surge in robocalls in the news
recently. CNBC aired a story about
it in June, and this past April, the
New York Times published an article
on the subject. The Times’ article
included data received from
YouMail, a tech developer that produces
robocall blocking software,
which stated that approximately 3.4
billion robocalls (yes, that’s billion
with a ‘b’) were made in April
2018. That was an increase of nearly
35% in just one year. At that rate,
by 2020 the number of robocalls
made could number over 6 billion
per month!
While some of these calls are
kosher, many of them are scams. The following is
intended to try to help you get a handle on what’s
going on and tips for how to manage the onslaught so
that you’re not caught off-guard by a con.
First, why is this getting so bad? One of the reasons
for this “robo-boom” is that technology has advanced
so rapidly. “Spoofing,” where the caller changes the
phone number that appears on your caller I.D., has
been in practice for a number of years.
However, a relatively new trick is “neighborhood
spoofing,” which takes robocalling a step further,
and it’s becoming increasingly common on both cell
and landline phones. In this scam, spoofers match
the area code and the exchange number to those of
their target’s (i.e., yours). The idea is that people are
more likely to pick up a call from a number that looks
familiar and might be from a person they know.
Case in point: One day recently, I received four
or five calls from a name and number I know quite
well: my own! Yes, my phone rang and there on my
Caller I.D. was my own name and phone number.
Of course I did not answer (I talk to myself enough
already, thank you.). Seriously, it was a little creepy,
but I resisted the urge to pick up and scream at the
offending caller. It only happened that one day and
the calls stopped.
Like having a good screen in a window, the best
way to keep pests out is to keep them from getting in
in the first place. Here are a few tactics you can use:
DO NOT ANSWER
I know it’s tempting…the phone rings and you
want to pick it up. If the number is “unknown” or you
don’t recognize it, don’t answer the phone, period.
Even if the number looks familiar but you’re not sure
about it, let voice mail take it. Most anyone legit will
leave a message, and the odds are good that if they
don’t, it’s a scam. Be consistent about not answering
the phone and realize it will take a while before they
give up, but eventually they’ll stop calling you and
move on to another target. This is probably one of
the most effective methods to get a robocaller to stop;
more important, it ensures that you won’t get snagged
into a potentially risky phone conversation.
LEVERAGE YOUR CALL
DIRECTORY
You may not be able to recognize all of your
friends’ numbers, but if you keep your nearest and
dearest’s names and numbers in your phone’s Call
Directory, you’ll see that it’s them when they call. Be
18 LEHAVRE COURIER | NOVEMBER 2018 | WWW.QNS.COM
sure to add new contacts right away (well,
just the ones you want to hear from!).
YES, DO NOT CALL IS
STILL WORTH IT
Do Not Call was started by the Federal
Trade Commission to help people minimize
the number of calls they receive
from marketers. Obviously, that’s become
a bigger challenge. Still, legitimate organizations
will abide by the registry—but
scammers won’t. So if you receive a call
from a marketer after you’re registered,
you know it’s probably a scammer. One
important note: donotcall.gov has warned
that there’s a fake email going out telling
consumers their Do Not Call registration
is about to expire. Per the site, “Registrations never
expire.” Visit the site or call 1-888-1222 for more
information.
BLOCK IT OUT
Your phone service provider probably offers some
level of call-blocking service from anonymous callers
for free, and sometimes warns you automatically.
I’ve noticed recently that some calls will come in
with a “Spam” warning in the Caller I.D. (in fact one
came in just now as I was writing this!). Check with
your provider to see what the options are. If that isn’t
sufficient, you can also consider a call-blocking app
for your mobile phone or an optional call-blocking
service for your landline. Some of these may incur a
fee, but it may be worth the relief.
AND FINALLY…
You can find out more info and tips from Consumers
Union. The organization has been active in helping to
end illegitimate telemarketing; visit consumersunion.
org. AARP also has some good tips and information
as well; go to aarp.org. You can also do your bit to
help by reporting illegal robocalls to the Federal
Trade Commission at consumercomplaints.ftc.gov or
calling 888-225-5322.