Robocallers are plaguing Alabama—what they are and how to react

Robocalls Rarely Have Caller Id
Have you received a robocall?. (Barton Perkins / The Bama Buzz)

We’ve all gotten a robocall at some point or another—a phone call from a number we don’t recognize. It could be someone, particularly a robot, asking for money for a cause or trying to save an account from being hacked.  A recent study ranked Alabama third in the states that received the most robocalls in the past month. Read to learn what you should do when you receive one of these calls.

What is a robocall?

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Robocall scams can ruin lives. (Barton Perkins / The Bama Buzz)

Robocalls are automated calls that randomly call people and ask for money. Sometimes, it’s for a legitimate business, but usually, it’s a scam trying to trick people into offering up sensitive information, such as social security numbers and bank account numbers.

How should you respond to a robocall?

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Sometimes, it’s best to not answer your phone. (Barton Perkins / The Bama Buzz)

Generally, the best rule of thumb when dealing with a robocall is just to hang up or don’t answer any numbers that you don’t recognize. You can always try to get on the National Do Not Call Registry. However, it’s still not effective against scammers. Your best bet is to not answer unknown phone numbers.

Hang onto your money in the face of robocalls

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No matter how old you are, you can receive robocalls. (Barton Perkins / The Bama Buzz)

Some robocalls can be very convincing—they promise to help support amazing causes or help you double your money in a quick easy way. No matter how good it may sound, these calls are usually scams.

Our tip is if you want to give money to a charity, look it up online first and give through their established channels. If you’re trying to double your money in a quick and easy way, give me a call when you figure that one out because I’m still trying to work that one out myself!

What tricks do you use against robocalls? Let us know on social @TheBamaBuzz.

Barton Perkins
Barton Perkins
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