Clone phishing is a technique that scammers use to steal your information. Our guide describes how it works, gives examples, and teaches you how to prevent it.
Have you ever picked up the phone only to begreeted by a recording on the other end?
If so, you were dealing with a robocall. Likespam textsorjunk email, these annoying calls can disruptyour everyday life and even impact yourcybersecurity.
These types of calls are common and are oftenused by both legitimate organizations and sneakycybercriminals. They’re so common, in fact,thatover50 billion robocallswere placed in 2021 alone.
If you’re asking yourself, “What is arobocall?” then you’ve come to the right place. To learn more about differenttypes of robocalls, what to do if you receive one, and the steps you can taketo avoid them, read through this helpful guide.
What are robocalls + how do they work?
A robocall is an automated telephone call thatdelivers a pre-recorded message. Organizations, telemarketers, and scammersalike use robocalls to easily reach millions of phones every single day.
Robocalls are made using auto-dialingsoftware, allowing robocallers to place calls over the internet. In some cases,robocallers may use caller ID spoofing technology to make it seem as if the phonecall is coming from someone else.
This technology has enabled scammers to userobocalls for malicious purposes includingvishing,identity theft, and other dangerous scams.While this is something to be aware of, not all robocalls are used for scammingpurposes.
What is the purpose of robocalls + are robocalls illegal?
Robocalls are used by various groups fordifferent purposes. While robocalls are an annoyance for many, there are someinstances in which they are helpful. Some of the most common uses for robocallsinclude:
- Informational messages: These useful automatedcalls can deliver important information such as appointment reminders or flightcancellations.
- Charity calls: Automated calls may be used bycharities to communicate with prior donors to ask for donations.
- Telemarketing: These often unsolicited callsare used to help companies generate leads and make sales.
- Political campaigns: Political candidates mayuse robocalls to reach voters and spread awareness about their campaign.
- Scams: Some cybercriminals use robocallservices to scam people. They might pose as a legitimate company or usesocial engineering tacticsto get ahold ofyour personal information.
The legality of robot phone calls depends onthe specific situation. For example, informational, political, and charitycalls are legal. But if a robocall is trying to sell you something, it’sconsidered illegal unless the company has gained your written consentbeforehand.
What happens if you answer a robocall? 5 steps to take
We’ve all been there before. You receive acall from an unfamiliar number and wonder whether or not you should answer.After much deliberation, you answer the phone and are greeted by a pre-recordedvoice.
Now what? Follow these steps to know what youshould do if you answer a robocall.
1. Hang up immediately
Hanging up as soon as you notice it’s arobocall is the best action you can take to stay safe from any potentialscammers. The less you talk, the better, as holding a conversation can letrobocallers know that they’ve found a live phone number.
2. Avoid saying the word “yes”
If possible, it’s best to always avoid sayingthe word “yes.” In many cases, scammers may record your conversation and use itto impersonate you for fraudulent activities. To bait you into saying yes, therecording may ask you a question like “Can you hear me?” Because of this,always be cautious when speaking to an unknown caller.
3. Ignore their instructions
In the same vein, you should also always avoidfollowing their instructions. They may ask you to “press one to unsubscribe” or“press two to speak to a live customer service representative.” By followingtheir orders, you’re informing them that you have a live number.
4. Report the call
Now that you’ve hung up, you should report thecall to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) atDoNotCall.gov. By providing the FTC withdetails about your call, you can help them track down whoever is behind therobocalling operation. Not only can this benefit you, but it can also benefitmillions of others who could potentially be affected by these scams.
5. Be cautious
Robocalls can cause serious problems likeidentity theftif you give up your personalinformation. You should answer every phone call with caution and avoidfollowing any orders from someone you are unsure about.
How to spot a robocall scam: 12 types of robocalls to know
Now that you know what to do about robocalls,let’s take a look at the different types of robocall scams that are goingaround today. Ranging from fake investment opportunities totax scams, these scammers have come up withplenty of clever ways to trick their victims.
1. Loan scams
In this type of scam, you may be offered alow-interest loan or credit card in exchange for a small upfront fee.Cybercriminals will target those with a poor credit history, hoping that you’lldesperately hand over your credit card information.
2. IRS tax scams
In a fake tax scam, you'll hear a recording ofa person pretending to be from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). During thesefake IRS calls, you might be told that youneed to pay a tax bill or that your Social Security number is in danger.Scammers use these scare tactics hoping you'll hand over your sensitiveinformation.
3. Spoofing scams
Spoofing scams are calls that come fromnumbers imitating a local business. This tactic is used in hopes thatrecipients are more likely to answer a phone number from the area. To be safe,you can check the business’s number they have listed on their website.
4. Travel scams
In travel scams, robocallers may contact youoffering a free or cheap vacation. But here's the catch — you'll need to givethem your credit card information to book the trip. This scam is designed totake advantage of your excitement and trick you into handing over yourhard-earned money.
5. Insurance scams
These robocallers try to steal your personalinformation by claiming that you can save money on your insurance by switchingover to their plan. But instead of saving you money, following their orderscould mean your information getssold to third parties.
6. Charity scams
While some legitimate charities may userobocalls, some can be fake. Because of this, you should never give your creditcard information over the phone. In some cases, these scams will even piggybackoff current events such as a national disaster. If you fall for the scam, yourdonation may go directly into the scammer’s pocket.
7. Customer service scams
If you receive an unsolicited robocall from anotable company’s customer service team, it could be a scam. They might ask youto buy a warranty or verify your account details. As always, think twice beforesharing any private information on the phone.
8. Free trial scams
In these scams, you may be offered a freetrial for a product or service. To activate the trial, they will first ask foryour credit card. If you follow through, you could get charged monthly withoutreceiving any actual benefit. In other cases, you may have youridentity stolen.
9. Foreign language robocalls
If you live in an area with lots of people whospeak a foreign language, you may receive a robocall in that language. Forexample, let’s say you receive a call claiming to be the Chinese Embassy. Inthis scam, a recording in Mandarin will ask you for information to protect animmigrant’s immigration status. If you ever receive a robocall in a foreignlanguage, it’s best to hang up immediately.
10. Location verification scams
In a location verification scam, you may beasked to confirm your business’s location so it can be updated on an onlinemap. Like many others, this scam is designed to trick you into giving outsensitive information that a scammer can use for nefarious activities.
11. Google scams
Like a location verification scam, theserobocalls also targetsmall businesses. Instead of claiming to callabout an online map listing, they will say they work for Google. In some cases,they will say that your website listing is about to disappear, and they needmore information to ensure it stays on their site.
12. Fake investment scams
In a fake investment scam, a robocaller will inform you about an exciting investment opportunity that’s bound to make yourich. The only catch is that they need your credit card information so you caninvest. Before reaching for your wallet, remember that these are only attemptsto steal your personal and financial information.
While there is no easy fix to stop every typeof robocall, there are prevention measures you can take to help protectyourself.
How to prevent robocalls: 9 protection tips
With so many types of robocalls circulatingthe airwaves, you might be wondering how you can avoid them altogether. Checkout the following tips to help prevent your phone from blowing up withrobocalls:
- Use the National Do Not Call Registry: To help protect your phone from annoying robocalls, you can addyour number to theNational Do Not Call Registry. This canhelp prevent any legal robocallers from reaching you.
- Ask your cellular provider about blocking tools: Many cellular providers have call-blocking technology available totheir users. Some of these options may be free, while others may costmoney. To learn more, reach out to your cellular provider for details.
- Use a third-party spam blocker: Check your phone’s official app store for applications that canhelp block any unwanted calls or texts. To be safe, be sure you avoiddownloading anything from a third-party app store.
- Avoid answering unknown numbers: One of the best safety measures you can take is to avoid answeringunknown callers altogether. That way, you can avoid accidentally sharingsomething private or falling for their elaborate tricks.
- Be wary of caller ID spoofing: Spoofing technology can allow scammers to fake a robocaller's nameand number. If you’re suspicious about a caller, let the call go tovoicemail to see if it’s legitimate.
- Keep your phone number private: To decrease the chances that your phone number is found byrobocallers, only share your phone number with trusted individuals andbusinesses.
- Use Do Not Disturb: Mostsmartphones have a Do Not Disturb function that you can enable to avoidbeing bothered by unwanted calls. By activating this feature, you won’thave to worry about robocallers disrupting your day.
- Enable spam filtering: Somesmartphones may include a built-in spam filtering function that can beenabled in your phone settings. This can help filter out unwanted calls.
- Block the number: A greatway to stop getting annoying calls is to block the robocaller's phonenumber. This will ensure that the same phone number is unable to botheryou again.
By using these tips, you can help decrease thenumber of robocalls you experience. For the robocalls that make it through thecracks, the best next step is to report them.
How to report robocalls
Even after taking the proper steps to preventrobocalls, some may still make it to your phone. If that happens, it’s always agood idea to report the caller. You can do this through theNationalDo Not Call Registry.
If you believe you’ve experienced fraud, youmay also report the incident toReportFraud.ftc.govor by calling1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357).
Now that you can easily answer the question“What is a robocall?” and know the steps to avoid one, you may want tostrengthen your phone security even more. To do so, tryspring cleaning your phoneand staying up todate onmobile scamsto help you stay Cyber Safe.
FAQs about robocalls
To help finish things off, let’s dive into theanswers to some common questions about robocalls.
What is a robocaller?
A robocaller is the individual or organizationthat is using robocalling technology to make phone calls.
What happens if you answer arobocall but don't say anything?
While staying silent after answering arobocall is better than speaking, it may still let the robocaller know thatyour phone number is active. This may mean you end up receiving more robocallsin the future.
What is a robocall warning?
A robocall warning is an indication from yourphone that you might be receiving a scam call. You will see these robocallerwarnings where the contact name or phone number would usually be displayed whenreceiving a call.
While the exact warning may vary depending onyour phone, here are some common examples
- Scam Likely
- Potential Spam
- Suspected Spam
- Spam or Fraud
- Potential Fraud
- Spam Risk
If you ever see one of these warnings, be sureto decline and block the caller.
Where do robocalls come from?
Robocalls can come from all over the world.There is no specific place where robocalls come from, and people can use themfor a variety of reasons — both legal and illegal.
What happens if you call back aspam number?
If you call back a spam number, you’re lettingthe caller know that you are willing to talk. This is a bad idea and may leadrobocallers to continue targeting you in the future.
Why do I get so many robocalls?
If you are frequently getting robocalls, yournumber is likely not placed on theNationalDo Not Call Registry. To decrease the number of robocalls youreceive, be sure to add your number to the list. It’s also important to notethat this will not stop illegal robocallers, as they don’t care if your numberis on the list or not.
Is it bad to answer spam calls?
Yes, it is bad to answer spam calls. Not onlywill answering a spam call let robocallers know that your phone number isactive, but also it could leave you vulnerable to serious consequences such asidentity theft.
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