Who is Winning the Robocall Wars?

Tools and Tech to Combat Robocalls

Robocalls, mostly from scammers and telemarketers, affect nearly everyone. Americans received 55 billion robocalls in 2023. Nearly half of those are legal, such appointment reminders, but the remaining calls are scams and telemarketing, with callers enhancing their schemes with sophisticated techniques like caller ID spoofing and AI-driven voice cloning.

Scam calls have become increasingly sophisticated in 2024 and frequently impersonate reputable organizations like banks or governmental organizations. And then there's the rise of robotexts, which are annoying or malicious text messages that contain links.

Some recent advancements and strategies provide consumers with defenses against robocalls:

STIR/SHAKEN Protocols: To confirm caller identities, major carriers have used the STIR/SHAKEN authentication system. It guarantees that calls originate from authentic sources and lessens caller ID spoofing by "signing" calls. A notable improvement has been seen in 2024, when 85% of communications between major carriers are authenticated.

Call-Blocking Apps: Apps like RoboKiller, https://www.hiya.com/, and https://www.youmail.com/block or flag incoming robocalls by using databases of recognized spam numbers. Unwanted calls can be handled more easily with the help of features like visual voicemail and customizable blocking.

Google's Pixel smartphones have a feature called Call Screen, which uses AI to answer incoming calls. Call Screen uses the Google Assistant to ask who's calling, and why. The response is translated into text on your screen so you can decide whether or not to answer. If it's Rachel from Card Services calling about your credit card account (again!), you can click "Report as spam" and gleefully hang up without interacting with the call.

Carrier-Based Solutions: In-network solutions such as spam call identification, automatic blocking, and filtering systems are offered by major carriers such as Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. These services are frequently included with cell plans. Verizon, for example, offers the Call Filter app, which identifies spammy calls and blocks them.

FCC Regulations and Fines: The FCC has taken steps to fight robocalls, especially those that use voice cloning powered by artificial intelligence. The use of AI-generated voices in unsolicited robocalls is prohibited by a new ruling, which also gives state attorneys general the authority to file lawsuits and imposes fines of more than $23,000 per infraction.

Progress Has Been Made, But Challenges Persist

There are some signs that the war on robocalls is making progress. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has reported a 50% drop in robocall complaints since 2021. They have also stepped up the fight by cutting off voice service providers that facilitate robocall campaigns. Last year, the number of scam calls dropped by 38%, but in the recent election season those numbers undoubtedly soared higher.

Scammers don't give up easily, so robocalls may never go away completely. If robocall campaigns become more difficult and expensive, scammers may switch to other platforms, such as WhatsApp or Facebook messaging.

As mentioned before, the major telecom players have implemented STIR/SHAKEN but there are gaps in call authentication coverage since many smaller telecom providers lack the resources necessary to deploy these protocols.

Scammers are using AI tools to mimic voices of family members, politicians and trusted organizations, making call scams more convincing. And because many robocalls originate overseas, enforcement and blocking can be complicated.

What Can You Do?

To limit robocalls, I recommend that you use call-blocking apps and tools offered by your service provider. It's also a good idea to avoid answering calls from unknown numbers and let voicemail filter them. Report scam calls to the FTC and always be cautious with unsolicited texts. Never click on links from unknown senders.

For now, it's a classic arms race. New technology and tools are developed to fight robocalls, and the scammers develop new ways to interrupt your day with pitches for fabulous vacations, low interest rate credit cards, and requests for donations to political campaigns and bogus charities.

With AI driving both the issue and possible remedies, the robocall environment is rapidly evolving. Turning the tide against robocalls will require the implementation of more stringent regulations, the use of sophisticated verification techniques, and increased public awareness.

Your thoughts on this topic are welcome. What steps do you take to stem the tide of unwanted robocalls? Post your comment or question below...