Robocalls are much more than an annoyance; they can be illegal and a potent tool to steal personal information.
According to AARP, about 5 billion robocalls were made per month in the U.S. in 2021. It’s no wonder, then, that Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson has decided to make it easier for residents to report the annoying calls.
Last week, Ferguson launched a new form for Washingtonians to report illegal, harassing robocalls. The new form, the Seattle Times reported, will provide more precise information for quicker response to complaints.
“Many of our cases are based on tips we receive from Washingtonians. If robocalls are harassing you, please file a complaint with my office,” Ferguson said.
Not all calls that are a recorded message instead of a live person are illegal. According to the Federal Trade Commission, legal robocalls include those that are purely informational, such as those telling you a flight has been canceled or your child’s school has been delayed; also legal are debt-collection calls, political calls, some medically related calls and solicitations from charities.
The Federal Communications Commission reports that “phone scammers are using robocalls and call-back scams to prey on consumer fear and confusion” related to the coronavirus. Schemes can “offer home-testing kits, promote bogus vaccine distribution, sell health insurance and promise financial relief,” according to the FCC.
This issue is one Ferguson takes seriously. In March 2021, a lawsuit filed by several state attorneys general and the FTC saw two companies that made 1.7 million robocalls into the state pay $495,000 to legitimate charities, the Seattle Times reported. In August 2020, Ferguson’s office announced that a King County Superior Court judge ordered Vancouver-based air duct cleaning companies US Air Ducts & Sky Builders Inc. and DLM Services Inc. and their owner to pay civil penalties of $10 million in Ferguson’s lawsuit over deceptive advertisements and robocalls. The companies made more than 13 million robocalls within Washington from 2017 to 2019, including calling more than 500 individual Washington consumers more than 100 times.
In October, the attorney general’s office filed a lawsuit against an Oregon-based company that is accused of calling Washington residents more than 54,000 times with deceptive recorded messages, the Seattle Times reported. That suit is still pending.
Common sense is the best weapon to combat illegal robocalls and scams. A few tips from the FCC:
- Don’t respond to calls or texts from unknown numbers.
- Never share personal or financial information via email, text or over the phone.
- Scammers may try to “spoof” you; that is, attach an official name such as Social Security Administration or Clark Public Utilities to a fake call, so it appears legitimate on caller ID. “Remember that government agencies will never call you to ask for personal information or money,” the FCC warns.
- Never click on links in a text message.
If you think you’ve received an illegal robocall, use the attorney general’s new robocall form, available at https://fortress.wa.gov/atg/formhandler/ago/robocallForm.aspx. The more information you can provide, including the exact time and date of the call, the better chance Ferguson’s office has of tracking down the culprits.
Don’t be a victim. Be proactive to help disconnect illegal robocalls.
