Scam Robocalls Hit Epidemic Levels
Scam Robocalls Hit Epidemic Levels
A huge number of automated scam calls are hitting phone lines in a worsening robocall epidemic. Record levels of automated phone calls have been intercepted in recent weeks. Through the month of October, a specialist Long Island firm called Nomorobo reported blocking a staggering 850,000 problem calls. Over that time, the company traced more than 820 different automated calling service sources, each sending out various recorded messages. Statistics indicate that the number of robocalls which get through worldwide could total more than 4 billion per month.
Many of the recent auto message robocalls in the U.S. have been offering healthcare services, such as discounted care and insurance plans. The sudden spike in these auto calls is attributed to the recent opening of the healthcare enrollment period for 2019.
Experts warn that an automated message offering a service that sounds too good to be true will probably be just that. They say that a lot of the calls offer unsuitable or sub-par services, while others are completely fraudulent scams which accept payment for non-existent services.
Robocalls with Auto Messages
Robocalls work by using a computerized auto dialing system to call people on a mass scale. A computer system cycles through phone numbers, dialing each one. The system will usually be programmed with pre-recorded messages, which play automatically when someone answers the phone. Robocalling systems allow people to launch mass scam schemes without manually dialing phone numbers.
Some messages will give people the option to press a button to opt out of future calls. Auto call recipients should not do this, as pressing a button registers with the robocall system that yours is an active number and may only subject you to more nuisance calls.
The California Department of Insurance has confirmed that it is investigating the current spike in automated health insurance scam calls. While healthcare services seem to be the cause for the current influx of automated scam calls, the robocall systems are used for a wide range of schemes, including asking for donations, advertising debt recovery, insurance, loan services, product warranties and more.
Liability Issues
In most cases, robocalls are illegal. Many people do not know that this is the case, due to the sheer number of these calls that they receive. Federal laws strictly prohibit automated message calls to cell phones, while businesses are required to have an existing relationship with an individual in order to contact their home phone with an auto message call. A handful of exceptions are allowed, including automatic medical appointment notifications, bank account fraud alerts and flight cancellation warnings.
Anyone who has been disturbed by nuisance scam robocalls can take legal action. These claims are most commonly followed up in class action lawsuits, due to the sheer number of people who are impacted by these mass-dialing automated systems. If you have fallen victim to a scam or nuisance automated message, contact an experienced class action attorney now.
