Stop the Robocalls!

June 25, 2019

It can be frustrating to answer the phone and hear an automated telemarketing message, especially when your phone number is on the national Do Not Call Registry. Learning more about robocalls is the first step to controlling unwanted calls. A robocall occurs when you hear an automated message instead of a live person when you answer your telephone. Generally, if you receive a call that is an automated message trying to sell you something and you haven’t given your written permission, that call is likely llegal and/or part a scam. Often, the best way to handle unwanted robocalls is to ignore them. Although it may be tempting to answer the calls or to press a key (supposedly to speak to a live operator or to be removed from the calling list), responding usually won’t reduce the number of calls you receive. Instead, you may find yourself receiving even more scam calls once the caller knows they’ve reached a “live” phone number. If a call is important, the caller likely will leave a message. Also, certain apps and other services can help stop robocalls calls from reaching you in the first place. For more information from the Federal Trade Commission about stopping robocalls, visit https://go.usa.gov/xmuv3.