Robotexts And Robocalls Spike In October, According to Robokiller Insights

Rhea-AI Summary

Robokiller Insights: Robotexts and Robocalls Surge in October, Scammers Target Holiday Shoppers and Use AI Voice Cloning

Positive

• Scammers are using well-timed scams surrounding current events to inundate Americans with robotexts and robocalls, resulting in a 6% month-over-month increase in October. Delivery robotexts related to holiday shopping increased by 16% from September, posing a significant threat to consumers. The federal government is addressing the issue of AI-driven robocalls, but the implementation of regulations will take time.

Negative

• The government's efforts to combat AI-driven robocalls are still in the implementation phase, and the success of these measures is yet to be seen.

NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Robotexts reached 12.8 billion while robocalls soared to 4.8 billion in October, a combined 6% month-over-month increase, according to Robokiller Insights. The simultaneous spike can be attributed to scammers shifting their tactics — they're inundating Americans with well-timed scams surrounding current events like holiday shopping and student loan repayments.

Delivery robotexts skyrocket as holiday shopping begins
With holiday shopping underway, scammers flooded consumers with robotexts related to delivery scams. These SMS ploys, intended to trick people into giving away their sensitive information, increased by 16% from September. Robokiller cautions Americans to keep an eye out for messages that look like they're coming from well-known shipping companies, as they could contain fake shipping links or prompts to update shipping preferences.

Robocalls increase as government efforts tighten 
Even though robocalls overall increased in October, the federal government is confronting the problem head-on, specifically the growing concern that scammers will use AI to defraud consumers of their hard-earned money. Generative AI allows scammers to create deep fakes or even clone the voices of their loved ones to gain their targets' personal information. The government hopes to combat robocalls that use AI with AI itself, but like other regulations, this will take time to implement. Therefore, it's paramount that consumers stay vigilant when receiving unknown calls or text messages that may look suspicious.

"The government's efforts to combat robocalls are ongoing but we've already witnessed tremendous success in shutting down well-known scams like the infamous car warranty call. The problem is, scammers are smart and shift tactics quickly," said Giulia Porter, Vice President at Robokiller. "The usual seasonal trends like delivery-related scams caused an increase in October, but the bigger, emerging threat consumers need to be aware of is AI. Generative AI affords scammers the ability to mask their true identities and appear more trustworthy even as they steal money and personal information from you. We suggest consumers install a mobile security app like Robokiller to protect themselves from falling victim."

Mobile security protection can be an end-to-end solution 
Robokiller is dedicated to protecting consumers from emerging phone scams by adding new features to its mobile security suite. Its recent addition of personal data protection gives consumers greater control over their online presence by empowering them to remove their personal data from data broker websites that scammers scour for targets. Visit the Robokiller website to learn more.

How to stop phone scams
At Robokiller, it's our mission to create a world without spam. In addition to downloading the Robokiller app, follow these tips to protect yourself against spam texts and spam calls.

Additionally, if your brand is interested in protecting against scams perpetrated under its name, contact our enterprise service team.

About Robokiller
Trusted by more than 12 million people, Robokiller is the award-winning spam call + text blocker app that blocks 99% of dangerous phone scams. Winner of the FTC's Robocalls Against Humanity competition, Robokiller uses AI+machine learning to identify and block any incoming spam call and text within 0.01 second of it reaching a users' phone - all before they ever see it. To date, Robokiller has blocked over 1 billion phone scams and prevented over $700 million in consumer losses.

Robokiller's proprietary data insights have been featured by The New York Times, ABC World News, Good Morning America, 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).

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/robotexts-and-robocalls-spike-in-october-according-to-robokiller-insights-301982493.html

SOURCE Robokiller

FAQ

What caused the surge in robotexts and robocalls in October according to Robokiller Insights?

Scammers utilized well-timed scams surrounding current events like holiday shopping and student loan repayments to inundate Americans with robotexts and robocalls.

How much did delivery robotexts related to holiday shopping increase in October compared to September?

Delivery robotexts increased by 16% from September.

What is the federal government doing to address the issue of AI-driven robocalls?

The federal government is confronting the problem of AI-driven robocalls head-on, aiming to combat them with AI itself, but the implementation of these regulations will take time.

What new feature has Robokiller added to its mobile security suite to protect consumers from phone scams?

Robokiller has added personal data protection, empowering consumers to remove their personal data from data broker websites that scammers scour for targets.

How can consumers protect themselves against spam texts and calls according to Robokiller?

Consumers can protect themselves by downloading the Robokiller app and following tips provided by Robokiller to prevent spam texts and calls.