Most people have an extensive contact list saved on their mobile phones. So, when a call comes through from an unknown number, it usually arouses suspicion. Unfortunately, it is more than likely a robocall or scammer.
Robocalls have recently tricked people with fake COVID-19 tests and auto warranties, but the ruse constantly changes. It is so prevalent in the U.S. that 94% of people assume a call from an unknown number is spam.
Read on for a recent study about fraud and spam calls in the country and what you can do about it.
Here’s the backstory
It’s nearly impossible to find a random person who hasn’t inadvertently picked up a spam call. While 79% of unknown calls go unanswered, people have a good reason not to trust them. In the latest State of the Call report from Hiya, $567 is the average amount lost by people to fraud and spam calls.
And don’t think that only some people are targeted. The report details that the average mobile phone user will receive about 18 spam calls per month, while the total amount of spam or fraud calls in the U.S. has topped 80 billion per year.
That is by far the most worldwide. France only tracks around 12 billion total spam calls each year, and the U.K. sees approximately 6.6 billion annually.
The primary goal of scam callers is to trick victims into handing over personal…
