If you have a phone, you’re getting robocalls. Things slowed down at the start of the pandemic, but the crooks placing these calls are back at it again.
Aaron Foss, founder and CEO of Nomorobo, a robocall blocking service, said nearly 30% of all calls in the U.S. right now are robocalls.
“And these are just criminals that are trying to scam you out of your money,” he said. “They’re super sophisticated, super organized, and everybody’s just getting taken advantage of by this seemingly pervasive problem.”
The criminals targeting us with robocalls are clever. They’re able to spoof caller ID. They can make it look like their call is coming from a trusted source – maybe a bank, credit card company, police department, or even the federal government.
“I personally have received recently some phone calls that come in making it look like it’s from Apple, making it look like it’s from Amazon,” said Amy Nofziger with the AARP Fraud Watch Network. “They can do anything on that caller ID screen that they want to.”
The latest trick, she warns, is to make your phone display YOUR number.
“That’s just another tactic the criminals are using to get our attention, and to get us to pick up the phone,” Nofziger said.
The AARP Fraud Watch Network has more information on avoiding robocall scams. If you get a call and don’t know what to do, call the Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877-908-3360 before you provide an unknown caller with information or money. You do not need to be an AARP member to use this free service.
You can listen to the latest robocalls in your area on AARP Washington’s Tip-Offs to Rip-Offs page.
More Info: Robocalls on the Rise: How You Can Fight Back
