Robocalls in the United States are out of control. In fact, approximately 2,000 robocalls are placed every second. Robocalls, which are prerecorded messages delivered to landlines and cell phones by way of computerized auto dialers, run the gamut from annoying to fraudulent. Luckily, there are several things consumers can do to fight back against robocalls. 

Spotting illegal robocalls

Most robocalls attempt to sell customers something. Sales robocalls are illegal. The only exception to this is if a customer has given a company prior consent to place such calls. However, simply purchasing a product or contacting a business with a question does not constitute permission to place robocalls. If you receive a prerecorded sales message without permission, the sender of the message is breaking the law.

Stopping illegal robocalls

Not only are most robocalls illegal, but many of them are scams. In order to stop illegal and fraudulent robocalls, you should take the following steps: 

Hang up immediately: A simple way to avoid robocall scams is to hang up immediately. If you pick up the phone and hear a prerecorded sales message, hang up the phone. Don’t provide any information. Don’t press a button to (supposedly) remove your name from a list. Just hang up. 

Block the number: After receiving a robocall, block the number. Your options for blocking robocalls will differ depending on the model of phone you have, your service provider, and whether you use a landline or cell phone. Blocking robocall numbers will help ensure that you aren’t caught off guard by future calls. 

Report the call: Finally, after hanging up, report the call. There are multiple ways to do this, including:

• Report the call to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC provides telecommunications companies and other entities with the numbers of known robocallers. The FTC collects these phone numbers from consumer complaints. Therefore, the more that information that consumers provide, the more efficient the authorities and phone companies become at fighting robocalls. This results in fewer robocalls for everyone.
• Report the call to the Better Business Bureau. The Better Business Bureau shares robocall phone scam information with government and law enforcement agencies to help them combat illegal calls. 
• Contact a Florida TCPA attorney. Finally, if you’re sick and tired of unsolicited robocalls, you need an experienced Florida TCPA attorney on your side. Not only will our experienced attorney help you report your information to the appropriate authorities, but he will vigorously pursue financial compensation on your behalf. Experienced TCPA attorney Seth Lehrman represents individuals who have received unsolicited robocalls and texts in TCPA cases in Florida and nationwide. If your TCPA claim is successful, you can receive up to $1500 for each documented violation of the TCPA law. Therefore, if you’re ready to take a stand against unwanted robocalls, please contact us today for a free consultation.

Several major telecommunications companies recently announced that they’ve developed new technology to help combat illegal robocalls. This technology, called STIR/SHAKEN, is a cross-network number verification system that protects consumers from scams and robocalls. This new technology is intended to prevent “spoofing,” which is a process that makes a false number appear on a call recipient’s caller ID. Scammers use this method because they know that people are more likely to answer calls from familiar area codes than ones they don’t recognize. 

Companies Vow to Fight Robocalls

A spokesman from T-Mobile described his organization’s battle with scammers as an “arms race” and discussed the necessity of cooperation between telecommunications companies in combating robocalls. In addition, he vowed that his organization would continue to innovate and develop new ways to fight robocalls. One such innovation is the company’s Caller Verified program, which is T-Mobile’s STIR/SHAKEN implementation. The spokesman noted that Caller Verified is now operable across 23 smartphones.

A spokesman from Sprint expressed a similar sentiment and stressed the need for cooperation despite fierce competition between telecommunications companies. The fight against robocalls, he noted, must be fought by all telecommunications company in tandem. In discussing new methods of combating robocalls, he stressed the importance and effectiveness of STIR/SHAKEN and said that implementation of this new technology will improve the overall experience of his company’s customers. 

STIR/SHAKEN Overview

As noted above, STIR, which is an acronym for “Secure Telephone Identity Revisited,” and SHAKEN, which is an acronym for “Signature-based Handling of Asserted Information Using Tokens,” are new technologies designed to combat robocalls. Specifically, SHAKEN/STIR is a technology framework that allows calls that travel through interconnected phone networks to have their caller ID numbers signed as legitimate by phone carriers before reaching consumers. In other words, SHAKEN/STIR digitally validates the authenticity of phone calls that pass through different phone networks, thereby allowing the phone companies of receiving consumers to verify that calls match the numbers displayed on consumers’ caller IDs.

Have You Received Unwanted Robocalls? Contact a Florida attorney today! 

Unfortunately, despite measures such as those discussed above, scammers continue to place robocalls, and the number of calls is only increasing. If you are sick and tired of unwanted robocalls, our experienced Florida TCPA attorney is here to help you fight back. With the help of attorney Seth Lehrman, not only will we help you fight illegal robocalls, but you may receive financial compensation in the process. Seth Lehrman represents people who have received unwanted robocalls or texts in TCPA cases in Florida and nationwide. If your claim is successful, you are eligible to recover up to $1500 for each documented violation of the TCPA law. So, if you have received unsolicited robocalls or have been subjected to other harassing behavior by telemarketers, please contact us as soon as possible for a free consultation.

Robocalls are a huge problem in the U.S. In fact, approximately two hundred million robocalls are made every day. That’s a bewildering statistic. And it also means that you’ve probably received at least one robocall at some point in your life. Robocalls vary from irritating to dangerous, and many people accept these calls as an inevitable part of life. But they don’t have to be. Luckily for those who are sick of robocalls, the law provides victims of robocalls a way to fight back and earn financial compensation in the process. In addition, a federal law, called the TRACED Act, was just passed that aims to make things even tougher for telemarketers who harass people with robocalls. Below is an overview of this recent effort to curtail illegal robocalls. If you have additional questions or are a victim of robocalls, please contact a Florida TCPA attorney as soon as possible. 

The TRACED Act  

President Trump recently signed the TRACED Act into law, which increases the punishment for unlawful robocalls. The fine for making an illicit robocall is now ten thousand dollars for each illicit call. In addition, the law requires the FCC to create rules that prevent unauthenticated calls and texts from reaching phone users and that detail the circumstances under which networks can block phone calls.

The law also establishes self-review procedures. The Justice Department and the FCC must develop a working group that studies the enforcement of robocall bans and then report the findings to Congress. Similarly, the FCC must analyze its guidelines on a number of resources to determine if it reduces spammer access.

The Future of Robocalls 

While the new law is a step in the right direction, it is unlikely to stop the present avalanche of robocalls. Offenders often stay one step ahead of the law, and they utilize a variety of software tricks and hacks to make robocalls. In addition, many perpetrators are willing to take the risk of being fined due to the profitability of their practices. However, as a consumer, you don’t have to put up with these calls. 

Sick of robocalls? Contact a Florida attorney today! 

As anyone with a phone knows, robocalls are out of control. If you are sick and tired of unwanted robocalls, it’s time for you to fight back. With a Florida TCPA attorney on your side, not only will we help you fight these calls, but we may be able to help you obtain financial compensation in the process. If your claim is successful, you can recover up to $1500 for each documented violation of the TCPA law.

If you are a victim of telemarketer harassment of any kind, attorney Seth Lehrman is here to help. Seth Lehrman represents people who have received unwanted robocalls or texts in TCPA cases in Florida and nationwide. If you have received unsolicited robocalls or have been subjected to other harassing behavior by telemarketers, please contact our law firm as soon as possible for a free consultation.