What is a Robocall? How to Stop Robocalls

What is a Robocall?

A robocall is an automated phone call that sends a pre-recorded voice message made by a computerized autodialer system to the recipient. Robocalls or spam calls are designed to trick you into sharing your personal information.

What are Robocalls used for?

Robocalls serve various purposes, including:

• Political Campaigns
• Telemarketing Calls
• Public Service Announcements (PSA)
• Notifications from businesses, institutions, or organizations

Not all telemarketing calls qualify as robocalls since live people conduct some of them. While some robocalls are legitimate and offer valuable information, many serve purposes such as:

• Spam
• Fraudulent Activities
• Scams
• Phishing Attempts

How to Stop Robocalls

You might ask yourself, “How do I stop robocalls?”. To prevent undesired robocalls, avoid scam calls, or unwanted text, follow the tips shared below.

• National Do Not Call Registry: Register your phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry website for free. By adding your phone number, you are requesting to reduce telemarketing calls. If you continue to receive unwanted robocalls after a month of your phone being registered, then you should report it to the Federal Trade Commission. This government agency aims to protect consumers in the United States.
• Use Call Blocking Apps: Many smartphones have built-in call-blocking features, and there are also third-party apps available that can help identify and block robocalls.
• Be Cautious with Personal Information: Use a data broker and people finder site information removal services like Hogo to hide your phone number from bad actors.
• Hang Up or Ignore Suspicious Calls: If you receive a robocall or an unsolicited call that seems suspicious, hang up immediately and avoid interacting with the caller.
• Report Robocalls to local authorities: If you receive unwanted robocalls or suspect fraudulent activity, report the details to your local authorities or relevant consumer protection agencies.

How do Robocalls work?

Robocalls work through an automated system that uses computer software and an autodialer to place large volumes of phone calls at an accelerated rate. Automated calls can either deliver pre-recorded messages to recipients or connect them to a live operator after playing the message. Here’s a step-by-step explanation of how robocalls work:

Step 1: Generating a Robocall List

Scammers or legitimate businesses obtain phone numbers from various sources, including public directories, online databases, purchased lists, or randomly generating numbers.

Step 2: Preparing the Robocall Message

The caller or the automated system prepares a pre-recorded message that will be delivered to the recipients. 

Step 3: Caller ID Spoofing

Scammers often use “spoofing” techniques to manipulate the caller ID displayed on the recipient’s phone, making it appear as if the call is coming from a local or trusted number. This tactic increases the likelihood that recipients will answer the call.

Step 4: Using an Autodialer

Robocalls utilize an autodialer, a computerized system that automatically dials phone numbers from the list. The autodialer can make thousands of calls per minute.

Step 5: Call Detection

When a call is connected, the automated system listens for call detection signals, such as voicemail prompts, busy signals, or unanswered calls. If the system detects that the call is answered by a human, the pre-recorded message is played.

Step 6: Delivering the Message

The system plays the pre-recored message for the recipient.The message may involve telemarketing, political campaign information, public service announcements, or fraudulent schemes.

Step 7: Handling Responses

Sometimes, the system prompts the recipient to press a specific number on their keypad to connect with a liver operator or to opt out of future calls.

Are Robocalls Illegal?

From “This is your final warning” to “You won a free cruise!” it can seem like there’s no escape from automated telemarketing. But are robocalls illegal, and do they mean a breach of data privacy?

Robocalls associated with scams and fraudulent activities are illegal. However, in certain situations, robocalls are legal and widely used. For example, political campaigns may use robocalls to communicate their messages to voters, and businesses may use robocalls to deliver important service updates to their customers. However, even in these cases, there are often regulations and restrictions on when and how robocalls can be made. If you register your phone number on a Do Not Call Registry, telemarketers generally can’t make unsolicited robocalls to yo.

What happens if you answer a Robocall?

Answering a robocall may indicate to the caller that your phone number is active and that someone is available to answer calls. Your number might end up on lists of active numbers, leading to more robocalls in the future.

If the automated system detects that a human answered the call, the pre-recorded message will play. After playing the pre-recored message, some robocalls connect you to a live operator. This live operator may be a telemarketer trying to sell you a product or service or, in the case of scam calls, a person attempting to deceive you or extract sensitive information. In this case, do not engage with the caller and provide personal information, such as your Social Security number, credit card details, or bank account information. You could become a victim of identity theft or financial fraud.

How to Report Robocalls

Reporting robocalls can help authorities and regulatory agencies take action against illegal and fraudulent activities. Here’s where you can report robocalls:

• Federal Trade Commission (FTC):
  • File a complaint with the FTC by visiting their official website at https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/ 
  • Call their toll-free number at 1-888-382-1222.
  • Report unwanted text messages by forwarding them to 7726 (SPAM).
• Federal Communications Commission (FCC):
  • Submit a complaint with the FCC at https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us/requests/new 

When reporting robocalls, provide as much information as possible, including:

• The phone number from which the robocall originated (if available)
• The date and time of the call
• A description of the robocall message or the purpose of the call
• Any details about the caller, such as their name or the company they claim to represent
• Whether you have previously requested not to receive robocalls

If you need an expert to identify a scam, use Hogo’s ScamAssist tool to further investigate potential scams.

Key Takeaways about a Robocall

Remember that legitimate robocalls, such as those for political campaigns or from businesses with whom you have an existing relationship, may not be considered illegal, even if they are unwanted. However, reporting illegal and fraudulent robocalls can help protect other consumers and contribute to efforts in combating unlawful telemarketing practices.

Now that you know more about how robocalls work, you know how important it is to keep your contact info safe from any unsolicited callers – even robotic ones. Use Hogo to remove your phone number from data broker and people search websites so you don’t get those pesky calls. Treat yourself (and your phone) to an extra layer of security today. 

Categorised in: Phishing, Scams

This post was written by Adrian Yang