If you’ve ever received a phone call from an unfamiliar number, you know the drill: a voice asks about an auto warranty that’s about to expire or a financial offer that’s too good to be true. If you hang up, they’ll call back again from a different number. If you ask questions, you’ll get transferred to a live person pushing you to sign a new contract or accept a loan.
No matter what, the goal of these scam calls is to convince you to share personal information like addresses, financial details, and Social Security or driver’s license numbers. There’s no sign of such calls slowing down, either. According to a mid-year report from Robokiller, in the first half of 2023, Americans received 5 billion robocalls a month and lost an estimated $33 billion to scammers. Robotexts, meanwhile, are also increasing, with more than 75 billion delivered so far this year.
And that comes in the wake of a major crackdown on such illicit attempts. Just last week, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) imposed a record $300 million fine on the network of scammers who coordinated the illegal auto warranty robocalls campaign in 2021, when 500 million phone numbers around the world received 5 billion robocalls in just three months.
Other types of calls are common: fake inquiries from charitable organizations, supposed customer service communications from the IRS and Microsoft, illicit offers from credit card companies, bogus threats from student debt lenders, and false disconnection notices from utility companies. Scammers use widely available tools to route their robocalls through different carriers and networks, making it nearly impossible to determine exactly where they originate. And protections for cell phones are still not as robust as those for landlines, which are used by less than 10% of American households.
New FCC rules about robocalls, adopted in 2017, strengthened the federal Do Not Call Registry, which was supposed to stem the tide of spam calls. But experts say it’s more of a tennis net trying to stop a flood. Still, it’s the first line of defense alongside other tips that CMIT Solutions has accumulated below. Consider this an important part of protecting your identity and your data.
At CMIT Solutions, we understand the complexities of today’s digital world. We recognize the fact that threats now extend beyond computers and networks to our phones and messaging systems. Our goal is to provide comprehensive cybersecurity protection to secure your business, your data, your devices, and your employees.
Contact us today to learn more about blocking robocalls and keeping identities safe.
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