Why Do We Receive So Many Spam Calls and Texts?
Introduction
Most cell phone users have received unwanted phone calls or text messages from spammers looking to exploit information. This issue is worsening – billions of robocalls are reaching the US, and recent research shows that 46% of Americans reported receiving daily spam calls on their cell phone and an additional 24% reported receiving them several times per week.
Many of these calls consist of automated recordings intended to elicit a response – the pending expiration of your car warranty or an investigation by the IRS for owing back taxes. And while most of these phone calls are just annoying, they are becoming more dangerous due to their perceived legitimacy and potential for stealing private information. There have even been instances of virtual kidnapping scams, where callers claim to have taken a family member or relative and demand ransom payments. Here is some background information about why instances of phone call and text message fraud are increasing, how callers get our numbers, and what we can do about it.
First, it is necessary to distinguish among the several types of these phone calls:
Robocalls: prerecorded, automated voice messages
Spam calls: undesired phone calls made by an individual or company to a large number of recipients; in many cases, spam callers have been given consent to call by the recipients themselves
Fraud calls: an individual or company that “spoofs,” or assumes another identity (usually one of a government authority – the Social Security Administration, Internal Revenue Service, etc.), for criminal purposes
Why are these types of calls becoming so popular?
The simple answer is because of technological innovation. The advent of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), a group of technologies used to transmit audio over the internet, enables one computer to make thousands of calls per hour. Therefore, perpetrators can reach many potential victims simultaneously with minimal effort.
Additionally, the rise of Caller ID spoofing has contributed to the spam call problem. Caller ID spoofing involves a malicious caller that appears to be calling from a legitimate number. Most cell phone providers have enacted detection methods so that phone calls from untrustworthy sources are displayed as “Spam Risk” or “Fraud Risk.” However, Caller ID spoofing will allow for callers to bypass these methods, rendering a cell phone owner more likely to answer. Head’s up: Caller ID spoofing often involves numbers within the same area code as the recipient’s number, which is a tactic intended to further legitimize the caller’s phone number.
How do spam callers get our phone numbers?
It’s not personal, it’s just business.
While phone owners can certainly take steps to protect their privacy and avoid the number of fraudulent calls they receive, many fraudsters gain access to phone numbers using external methods. According to a report published by First Orion Corp., a company that develops call management technology, mass data breaches are a primary source for callers to extract personal data. The information leaked from various hack jobs and cyberattacks, especially those targeting major companies with large customer bases, is a gold mine for spam robocallers.
Another crucial source of information for these callers is from third-party data sellers. Frequently, providing a phone number via consumer websites will result in that information being sold to other companies. However, keep in mind that many online services, such as apps and retail websites, will ask for your phone number but do not actually require it in order to set up the service. And for those services that do require a phone number, it is preferable to provide a fake number unless it is essential to provide your real one.
How can we reduce the amount of spam calls/texts?
Below are some of the US Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) listed consumer tips for stopping unwanted phone calls and avoiding phone scams. The full list of FCC’s guidance to stopping unwanted robocalls and texts can be found here.
Never answer calls or texts from unknown numbers. If callers are unable to speak with you, then they are unable to exploit your personal information.
If you do answer this type of call, hang up immediately and avoid responding to any questions, saying the words “yes” or “no,” or giving out personal information.
Immediately block the unknown phone number (check with your provider about options for blocking callers).
Set up a password for your voicemail account on your cell phone. Hackers use your phone number to gain to access voicemail messages that do not have this extra layer of security.
Register your phone number on the FCC’s Do Not Call List to block telemarketing calls.
Opt out of receiving texts or phone calls from consumer sites (unless necessary) – this will frequently involve unchecking a preselected box.
Be careful about giving out your phone number (as well as any other personal information).
Interested in learning more about robocalls? Tune into Reply All’s podcast on robocalls and the possibility that mobile apps may share the phone numbers and geolocation of users.