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posted by Fnord666 on Tuesday January 02 2018, @10:43PM   Printer-friendly
from the I-can-save-you-hundreds dept.

Complaints about automated telemarketing calls jumped steeply last year, and have quintupled since 2009, according to a recent FTC report. The report says that in fiscal year 2017, the agency received over 375,000 complaints per month about automated robocalls, up from only 63,000 per month in 2009. That’s a total of 4.5 million robocall complaints, plus an additional 2.5 million complaints about live telemarketing calls. For comparison, there were 3.4 million robocalls and 1.8 million live calls in 2016. (The FCC also regulates robocalls, but has received far fewer complaints — only 185,000 since August of 2016.)

The report says that robocalls are steadily increasing because of cheap access to internet calling services and autodialing, and because it’s getting easier for spammers to hide their true identity and location. People reported more “neighborhood” number spoofing, where calls appear to come from a local area code, in 2017. The most popular topic by far, according to complaint responses, was debt reduction. People also reported spam calls about vacations and timeshares; warranties and protection plans; prescription medication; and “imposter” calls ostensibly from businesses, the government, or family and friends.

https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/1/16837814/robocall-spam-phone-call-increase-2017-ftc-report


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  • (Score: 2) by looorg on Tuesday January 02 2018, @11:00PM (4 children)

    by looorg (578) on Tuesday January 02 2018, @11:00PM (#616954)

    I always wondered if this, robocalls, was a very American thing. I dont think we even have it, we have sales people that call you up sometimes and want to sell you (or for you to renew) subscriptions to newspapers -- mostly due to stupidity of once upon a time I actually gave them my phone number and now they have it forever apparently and they can't take a hint. But that isn't exactly robocalls. So is this a very American thing or do people from other countries have it to?

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 02 2018, @11:16PM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 02 2018, @11:16PM (#616967)

    We don't even have the sales stuff here, contracts can't be accepted by phone. It certainly sounds like a very American thing.

    • (Score: 2) by Gaaark on Tuesday January 02 2018, @11:18PM

      by Gaaark (41) on Tuesday January 02 2018, @11:18PM (#616969) Journal

      THIS sounds intelligent!
      Probably won't get this in Canada with Trudeau at the bong helm.

      --
      --- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
  • (Score: 2) by Gaaark on Tuesday January 02 2018, @11:16PM

    by Gaaark (41) on Tuesday January 02 2018, @11:16PM (#616968) Journal

    In Canada we have a do not call list:
    https://www.lnnte-dncl.gc.ca/index-eng [lnnte-dncl.gc.ca]

    It works pretty good, but not perfect. It DOES reduce the calls a lot, it does not eliminate them (or....we still get them because my wife answers all calls, while I let the machine screen them for me: I think her answering them lets them know it is a valid number someone will pick up at).

    --
    --- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
  • (Score: 4, Insightful) by Nuke on Wednesday January 03 2018, @12:28AM

    by Nuke (3162) on Wednesday January 03 2018, @12:28AM (#616991)

    Wikipedia defines a robot call as one that plays a recorded message. I have had those in the UK, but more often I get calls that are obviously automated dialling but with potentially a human voice. I say potentially because I understand that the call centre computer is dialling dozens of numbers (possibly randomly) all the time and the human salesmen/scammers only take over one that has answered and is still connected when their previous conversation finishes. That way, the salesmen/scammers don't waste any time sitting around waiting for a phone to be answered. Any calls that get answered by "customers" but cannot be taken over by a salesman/scammer within a few seconds are promptly disconnected by the computer.

    The result is that about 90% of the cold calls that I pick up are silent, or shortly disconnect, so presumably only 10% generally result in a sales conversation. It might not be "robot calling" strictly speaking, but it is just as inconvenient and infuriating or even worse so. Those I do answer I ask for more detailed explanation of the offer and then ask it to be repeated louder as I claim to have poor hearing. I then leave the phone connected and walk away to let the saleman/scammer talk until their throat goes dry..