Whether you’re about to sit down to dinner, catching up with an old friend or simply taking a well-deserved nap, an unwanted robocall always seems to disrupt your day at the most inconvenient time.
But unwanted robocalls and scams are more than just annoying interruptions; they can actually be dangerous. Last year, the volume of scam call attempts exploded to record highs. They were the top complaint reported to the FCC and Americans lost some $30 billion to these ploys.
If you’re concerned, or even just annoyed, you should be. There was a 116% increase in scam attempts last year alone, according to new network data reported by T-Mobile, and the bombardment of calls is set to soon pass pre-pandemic levels.
Despite efforts across the wireless industry, the tactics used by bad actors around the globe have become more aggressive over time and even more deceptive in their efforts to appear legitimate. Scammers are relentless – and they are not going to stop as long as they keep making money.
At the end of 2021, T-Mobile released its first-ever Scam and Robocall Report, which identified trends across the country, insights into scammer behavior and ways the company responded. T-Mobile’s Scam Shield technology, for example, identified or blocked more than 21 billion scam calls for their customers in 2021 – more than double the number of calls in 2020. That’s roughly the equivalent of 700 spam calls every second.
“We are protecting every single customer with the free scam-fighting tools in Scam Shield, regardless of their plan or device,” said Jon Freier, president of T-Mobile’s Consumer Group, in a statement on the company’s website. “We know that scammers won’t stop as long as they continue to be successful, so we are doing everything we can to make their job as hard as possible.”
The T-Mobile report also shared some of the most common phone scams and ways to protect your information.
1. ‘Neighborhood’ calls
One location-based trick scammers use is called neighbor or neighborhood spoofing, in which they disguise their number to appear as if it is coming from a local number, using a similar area code or prefix to your number.
T-Mobile’s Scam and Robocall Report found certain areas of the country are more heavily targeted by scam calls than other parts. The states with the highest volume of scam call attempts in 2021 were Texas, Florida, Arizona and Georgia. Among those, Dallas/Fort Worth was the top metro area for receiving scam calls.
To help stop neighborhood spoofing, last year companies across the wireless industry implemented number verification powered by STIR/SHAKEN. T-Mobile was the first to implement number verification for customers and T-Mobile, Sprint and Metro by T-Mobile customers with an eligible device will get a checkmark to confirm the phone number displayed on your phone is the actual number calling and hasn’t been spoofed by a scammer.
2. Legitimate businesses scams: fake auto warranties
One of the biggest concerns heading in to 2022 is scammers posing as legitimate businesses. If you’ve gotten a call from someone regarding your car’s warranty, you’re already familiar with this one. In 2021, the top scam was fake auto warranties, making up 51% of all scam call attempts.
Other common fraudulent calls were from individuals pretending to represent car insurance companies (6%), social security (10%), wireless providers (9%) and package delivery (4%).
What is particularly concerning about scams like the auto warranty scam is the caller may already have some personal details about your car or warranty. These calls often start with a robocall instructing you to press a number and stay on the line.
To help screen these calls, you can use tools such as Caller ID combined with number verification or use your wireless provider’s scam identification tools. As part of Scam Shield protections, T-Mobile gives free Caller ID to every customer. And when a scam threat is detected, customers automatically receive a “Scam Likely” warning on their Caller ID display. They can then decide if they want to answer the call or not.
Even if you decide to answer a likely scam call, to protect yourself from any suspected fraudulent business calls, your best bet is to hang up and call the company back directly by looking up their customer service contact information on the Internet.
3. Time of year: tax season and health care scams
Scammers are savvy and will capitalize on seasonal events to ramp up call attempts. With tax season coming up, phone scammers will often prey on people’s anxiety surrounding their taxes.
To keep yourself protected, know that generally, the IRS will first mail a bill to any taxpayer who owes taxes. They also won’t call about an unexpected tax refund. If you receive a call requesting immediate payment in the form of gift cards, threatening to bring in law enforcement for unpaid bills, or demanding payment without a bill or opportunity to question the amount, stay alert – it’s likely a scam.
Similarly, scam calls relating to health care spiked during open enrollment for health insurance and Medicare in late fall and winter. The FCC issued a $225 million fine – the largest in its history – in 2021 to a Texas-based telemarketer for robocalls falsely claiming to represent major health insurance companies.
Along with a seasonal ramping up, another method scammers use to appear above board is keeping regular business hours Monday to Friday with peak volume on Wednesdays. T-Mobile’s report found spam call volume drops by as much as 85% on weekends.
To keep yourself protected against the newest seasonal threats, you’ll want software that is updated regularly. T-Mobile claims that its scam protections are updated every 6 minutes, every day, all day. And unlike apps from third-parties, T-Mobile’s Scam Shield sits within the network, so it uses AI, machine learning and patented technology to update against new threats in real time.
4. Technical support calls
Another avenue scammers use to weasel their way in is fake technical support calls. These calls can result in cyber criminals getting access to your data or planting malicious code on your phone or computer.
Fake technical support calls will often begin with the scammer saying they’re with a well-known company and that an issue has been detected with your device. From there, they’ll walk you through various steps to “fix” your phone or computer. Don’t be fooled – scammers who pull this trick will be attempting to download dangerous software used to obtain your data.
T-Mobile warns that every wireless customer should use some form of scam protection to help prevent these calls getting through. Fortunately, in addition to “Scam Likely” warnings, T-Mobile’s Scam Shield also includes Scam Block, which once activated, blocks all “Scam Likely” calls before they ever reach your phone, giving you the peace and quiet you deserve. If you are a T-Mobile customer, you can download the Scam Shield app for free in your device’s app store.
As long as scammers are still able to make money off unsuspecting victims, their tactics will keep evolving. Thankfully, the technology used to protect people from these cyber criminals will continue to advance, as well – that’s why it’s crucial to utilize scam protection software to protect yourself.
To learn more about T-Mobile or view the 2021 Scam and Robocall Report, visit https://www.t-mobile.com.
