As Robocalls Spike In United States, How To Stop Them

If you’ve been getting a lot of “robocalls” lately — it’s not just you.

These solicitations are becoming more and more common and are nothing other than scams, so it’s best to let them go straight to voicemail.

Recent scams reported by the FCC include prompts that get you to say “yes” so they can later use the recordings the authorize fraudulent charges. So if you’re ever asked “Can you hear me?” or “Are you there?” in a strange call, don’t answer yes.

These scams have also been targeting certain demographics of people, including individuals with Chinese last names in New York. In December of 2017, it was reported by the NYPD that at least 21 Chinese immigrants had lost a total of $2.5 million to a scheme, that involved making them believe they needed to send money to the Chinese Consulate.

Other scams include the “one-ring scam” in which you get a call from a number that hangs up after one ring. When you call back, the call transfers to a center that makes you wait on hold. The longer you wait, the more money they make.

The FCC reported 4.5 million robocall complaints in 2017, but how do you stop them from happening? The easiest solution would be to not answer any calls from unknown numbers. If it’s an emergency, that person will likely leave a voicemail or send a text. If you do pick up, don’t believe anything the person on the other side of the line says, even if they tell you to press the number three to opt out. If you do, you’ll verify that your number is a working number, and get targeting even more frequently.

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