NEW YORK, April 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Americans received 12.2 billion robotexts and 5.9 billion robocalls in March, increases of 13% and 23%, respectively, according to Robokiller Insights. Although the spike can be attributed in part to a longer month, it's still cause for concern for Americans seeking a reprieve from unwanted texts and calls.
FCC plans to tackle dangerous robotexts
In response to the growing SMS threat, the FCC recently announced it would implement rules requiring telecommunications operators to block suspicious text messages. These efforts will help combat the massive amounts of robotexts Americans receive monthly.
In the meantime, Americans should stay on the lookout for prominent scams. Notably, delivery and bank scams have already cost Americans $7 billion in 2023 and could reach upwards of $28 billion by the end of 2023, according to Robokiller.
"The recent efforts by the FCC to combat robotexts is a step in the right direction," said Patrick Falzon, General Manager at Teltech, creators of Robokiller. "We've seen steadfast efforts and signs of real success on the robocall front as the FCC continues to take down well-known scams. For instance, the infamous car warranty call has plummeted to comprise less than 8% of all robocalls following a massive proposed fine against its facilitators. We hope the same efforts we've seen from the FCC will hold true to combating robotexts."
Robocalls increased in March, but FCC efforts still take effect
Though Americans received fewer robocalls in February due to the shorter month, they bumped back up to nearly 6 billion in March. That increase follows a 12% decrease a month ago.
In March, scammers targeted Americans with health insurance, financial service, and debt collector scams. Robotexts may be more prevalent, but losses from robocalls continue to outpace robotext losses and remain a significant danger to consumers, so it's important to exercise caution when receiving suspicious calls.
March 2023 key trends
Top robotexts nationwide:
Robotext category
| Estimated robotexts
| % of total robotexts
|
Delivery (Amazon, UPS, USPS, etc.)
| 1,255,275,837
| 10.28 %
|
Bank
| 405,547,928
| 3.32 %
|
COVID
| 229,376,826
| 1.88 %
|
Top robocalls nationwide:
Robocall category
| Estimated robocalls
| % of Total Robocalls
|
Health insurance
| 105,589,558
| 1.78 %
|
Medical
| 75,336,370
| 1.27 %
|
Community alert
| 64,065,574
| 1.08 %
|
Read Robokiller's recent reports at the links below:
Robokiller 2022 phone scam report
Robokiller 2022 political message report
Tips on how to stop phone scams:
- Don't answer phone calls or texts from unknown numbers, especially those that call or text at odd hours.
- Don't follow prompts like "Press 1" or click any links.
- Never provide personal information like banking details or other sensitive information.
- Download a spam text and call blocker like Robokiller to equip your phone with the latest technology to stop scams.
About Robokiller
With more than 12 million downloads and $600 million in losses prevented, Robokiller is the leading independent spam call and text blocker. Robokiller has been named a leader in technical and mobile achievement by the Webby Awards, Media Excellence, Best in Biz, and more. Robokiller was named the most effective solution to robocalls by the FTC.
Robokiller's robocall and spam text insights are powered by a global database of millions of phone scams and audio fingerprints. Robokiller's proprietary data insights have been featured by The New York Times, ABC World News, NBC Nightly News, and many others.
Robokiller is available for download in the Apple App Store and Google Play. To learn more, visit www.robokiller.com.
Robokiller, a Teltech brand, is a division of Mosaic Group, an IAC Company (NASDAQ: IAC).
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SOURCE Robokiller
