If you’re like the rest of us, you probably don’t go many places without your cell phone. It’s one of the main ways to keep ourselves accessible to our family, friends and work. And in the past year with the pandemic, they have became a lifeline for connecting with others outside the home. That being said, you’ve probably also experienced the annoyance of a call from an unknown number. Perhaps you answered the call or listened to the voicemail left and you were confronted with a robotic voice saying "this is the FBI or local police department and you’ll be arrested if you do not pay a fine", or "you qualify for a new credit card", or "this is Apple and your account has been hacked."
Last year the U.S. experienced approximately 45.9 billion robocalls. This was a drop in overall activity compared to 2019 which reported approximately 58.5 billion robocalls. However, robocall activity has been on the rise again since its lowest point in April 2020. Texas, California and Florida topped the charts last year for receiving the most robocalls.
What Are Robocalls?
Robocalls are computer-generated phone calls that automatically dial hundreds of thousands of numbers a minute hoping that someone will pick up and listen to the message and provide the information being requested or stay on the call long enough to get connected with a live person. Their goal is to defraud you of your money and/or personal information.
How to Spot A Robocall?
Usually these calls involve scams alleging that your warranty is expiring, you owe money, you will be arrested, your online account or computer has been compromised, you are being investigated or something else that causes you to worry or panic. Pay attention to phone calls from numbers that are similar to the first 6 numbers as your phone. So if your cell is 212-123-9999, scammers will spoof (fake the number) to look like 212-123-xxxx so that you naturally think it is someone near your home or in your neighborhood. If anyone calls telling you they are a member of law enforcement, the IRS, or computer support, just hang up.
How To Reduce the Number of Robocalls You Receive?
Start by placing your numbers on the federal Do-Not-Call list by going to https://www.donotcall.gov/ and registering your phone numbers. This is only the first step because this federal registry was created to stop unwanted sales calls and is only checked by legitimate businesses who are following the law--scammers are likely not checking this list. Additionally, there are certain organizations like charities, political groups, debt collectors and pollsters that are allowed to call you even if you are on the list.
Consider a call blocking service or app. Some of these services even offer functionality to block unwanted text messages.
For a landline phone, we generally recommend that people use a service like NomoRobo (https://www.nomorobo.com/) that works with your phone company to block scammers and sales calls after the first ring.
For cell phones, many of the major phone companies offer some call blocking technology that you can enable through your account. Additionally, we’ve also seen success with third-party apps like RoboKiller (https://www.robokiller.com), HIYA (https://hiya.com/) and NomoRobo.
Download or Update to the Latest Version of the Mobile App
The BlackCloak mobile app, version 1.2.22, is available in the app stores for Apple & Google. If you have automatic updates enabled on your device, your app may have already updated. However, if you want to check or push the update to your device, navigate to your device's app store: Apple or Google. If an update is available, press the “Update” button to update to the latest version.
Next Client Webinar - August 18th at 12:00pm EST
Sign up for the next monthly webinar, Social Media Hardening of Your Facebook Account. In this 25-minute webinar, we'll focus on why cybercriminals target social media accounts and walk through our recommended security and privacy settings. Register HERE.
July's Client Webinar - Recording Available
July's Social Media Hardening of Your Instagram Accountwebinar recording is available, along with our previously recorded sessions. The recordings can be accessed HERE. If prompted for a password, use: BC-Education!
As always, the BlackCloak Team is here to help. If you have any questions, email us at ask@blackcloak.io.
Thanks!
The BLACKCLOAK Team
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BlackCloak Client Statistics
See where you fall within the BlackCloak Family
69%
Exposed Passwords
customers with passwords exposed on the Deep/Dark Web
27%
Compromised
customers with hacked computers, cameras, or phones
75%
Privacy Leaks
customer devices configured to overshare location and private data
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