A struggle that the many consumers have with scammers is that they just don’t quit. Scammers often call from different numbers trying to pitch various scams time and time again. Even with technology and resources in place to keep them from calling back, Better Business Bureau serving Eastern North Carolina (BBB) is offering tips to consumers for stopping scam phone calls.
“According to the BBB’s Scam Tracker, scam calls have increased this year, compared to last year, with over 5,700 phone scams reported in the U.S. and Canada already,” said Mallory Wojciechowski, president and CEO of BBB serving Eastern NC. “In total, only 6,700 scam calls were reported for all of 2016.”
BBB warns that blocking one phone number from calling won’t necessarily stop scammers from calling. Unfortunately, as soon as a consumer answers a call, their phone number is registered as active and can be sold to other scammers.
BBB serving Eastern NC offers the following tips to stop these calls for good:
- Consumers need to be sure to avoid answering calls from numbers they do not recognize. Legitimate contacts will leave a message and, even if a scammer leaves a message, this will give consumers time to think about what is being asked of them.
- Consumers should be cautious of automated messages asking them to “Press 9” to be taken off of their call list. It’s best to just hang up. Pressing a number on the keypad is a way to alert the caller that they have reached an active number.
- It is imperative that consumers are aware that scammers are calling and impersonating legitimate businesses, organizations and charities. The best thing one can do to prevent from falling victim is to hang up, find the appropriate phone number and call them directly to speak to a representative.
- Another way to stop unwanted calls and cut down on legitimate telemarketing calls is to join the Do Not Call Registry at DoNotCall.gov. Although this won’t stop scammers, consumers will receive fewer calls, making it easier to spot the fraudulent ones.
- Write down the phone number of those callers violating the Do Not Call Registry and file a scam report with the BBB’s Scam Tracker and on the Federal Trade Commission’s Do Not Call List.
- Another option for consumers is to usecom, which is an app that takes consumers off lists for robo-calls — automated or machine-made calls.
- For more information you can trust, visitorg.
