Annoying

Realistic Robocalls & How to Avoid Them

Robocalls are plaguing the nation with the unwanted annoyance of regular robot telemarketing phone calls. Year over year this past December, robocalls had nearly doubled from 1.5 billion in December 2015 to 2.3 billion in December 2016. The worst part? The technology behind the calls is evolving. From overlaying local numbers in your area code to creating superimposed background noise with laughter and coughing, robocalls are becoming harder and harder to screen. Although there isn't a way to completely block out all calls, there are a few options including choosing to not interact with them (pressing a number to opt out typically does nothing but confirm it's a working number), adding your number to the National Do Not Call Registry, and/or downloading one of the various applications that work to screen calls before ever connecting to your phone. Most importantly, officials say to avoid using "yes" on any robocall as some have used this "voice signature to authorize fraudulent charges by telephone".