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Anti-fraud tools can't keep pace with robocall scammers

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Re: Anti-fraud tools can't keep pace with robocall scammers

#31

Post by SoftTalker »

ozim wrote: post #30
otterpro wrote: post #3

I no longer can answer my phone. I get at least 20-40 spam/scam calls per day, and many are legitimate companies calling for loans and refinancing offers, which started after I got a home loan. I cannot seem to stop them from calling, and even though my phone number is listed in National Do Not Call Registry for many years, it hasn't worked at all. The only relief is that on my iPhone, I was able to block all calls n…

I get the comfort that "normal person" would send an SMS "it was me Greg, call me back" if you don't pick up and most of my family is on whatsapp anyway. Scammers or spammers will never send an SMS with clarification that they wanted to call you.

Same as GP. I silence unknown callers, and unknown text messages. They can leave a voicemail, and I might check it at some point. I check unknown texts a little more often, but they don't interrupt me with an alert which is the important thing.

No police/fire/hospital emergency outcome is going to hinge upon someone else answering a phone call or text messsage.

Re: Anti-fraud tools can't keep pace with robocall scammers

#32

Post by ozim »

sdenton4 wrote: post #24

I got an obviously-AI voice agent spam call yesterday. Had a bit of fun getting it to answer trivia questions (when was the treaty of westphalia ratified? answer in a rhyming couplet) as a precondition to handing over the keys to my bank accounts.

Downside is they most likely are using stolen tokens, not paying themselves so it cost them next to nothing.

Re: Anti-fraud tools can't keep pace with robocall scammers

#33

Post by bckr »

otterpro wrote: post #3

I no longer can answer my phone. I get at least 20-40 spam/scam calls per day, and many are legitimate companies calling for loans and refinancing offers, which started after I got a home loan. I cannot seem to stop them from calling, and even though my phone number is listed in National Do Not Call Registry for many years, it hasn't worked at all. The only relief is that on my iPhone, I was able to block all calls n…

Right but what keeps the second line clean? You’re going to get spam there too.

Re: Anti-fraud tools can't keep pace with robocall scammers

#34

Post by Hikikomori »

victorbjorklund wrote: post #27
Hikikomori wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Live in Europe, last time I got a spam call 4-5 years ago it was my ISP asking of I wanted to add tv to my internet. Told them not to call me again and they didn't.

I live in Europe and I get scam calls and sales calls. Yes, legit companies spam call less in Europe due to regulation but scammers committing crimes don’t care about privacy laws etc it’s their least problems

Dont get those either, maybe just an outlier but GF don't get them either.

Re: Anti-fraud tools can't keep pace with robocall scammers

#35

Post by bugcheck7b »

thewebguyd wrote: post #18
orev wrote: post #10

One of the biggest concerns I have with phone scams is that the people most vulnerable are the elderly, and they don’t have the knowledge on how to block these calls (if a technical solution is the only option). And further to that, the elderly are also the ones who cannot block unknown numbers, because doctors’ offices seem to have random numbers they call you from (they may have a pool of numbers but it’s not reaso…

> because doctors’ offices seem to have random numbers they call you from This is a huge issue with scam/security awareness education. Too many legitimate orgs use the exact behaviors we tell people to avoid. Same thing with email, can't tell someone to never click links in emails when services keep relying on magic links, third-party notification domains, etc. SPF, DKIM, and DMARC do nothing because scammers will ju…

Just this week I got an email from Amex to be on the lookout for scams, and the email itself had a "login" button right in the top.

Re: Anti-fraud tools can't keep pace with robocall scammers

#36

Post by amazingamazing »

DeepSeaTortoise wrote: post #11

The solution is accessible law, not better anti-fraud tooling. Introduce a spam / fraud button, using it requires your pin and costs $10, but obliges your telecom provider to record the call (preferably including a few minutes before you hit the button), email you a signed recording and if found to be spam deposit $100 onto your account. Your provider may then hand the fee +10% for himself to whatever network the cal…

I don’t understand how this works. Suppose someone calls you about some political poll and you hit the button, would it count or not? What about a cold email (there was another such thread about cold emails being praised, i said fundamentally is spam but was downvoted lol).

Re: Anti-fraud tools can't keep pace with robocall scammers

#37

Post by ozim »

ipython wrote: post #5
etchalon wrote: post #2

I genuinely don't understand why this is so hard to tackle. Phone numbers are a scare resource and the telecommunications networks heavily regulated with numerous central points of control. This bullshit is scaling because the companies which gate and sell that access have no obligations, legal or otherwise, to deny scammers access to their resources.

One word: incentives. You're absolutely right- and telecom networks get us on both sides. They collect fees from the scammers, then fees from customers to block the scammers. Can't get any better than that.

so penalties for telcos have to be higher than they earn from scam calls.

2-5% of scams succeed but penalty should be there accounting for 95-98% that did not succeed.

IANAL but I know failed attempt at robbery or murder is also prosecuted, failed attempts at scam are not, because people just hang up and move on. Then the reality is society doesn’t have enough resources to deal with "scam attempts" - well we have to focus on murder attempts an plain robbery

Re: Anti-fraud tools can't keep pace with robocall scammers

#38

Post by stavros »

Hikikomori wrote: post #21
otterpro wrote: post #3

I no longer can answer my phone. I get at least 20-40 spam/scam calls per day, and many are legitimate companies calling for loans and refinancing offers, which started after I got a home loan. I cannot seem to stop them from calling, and even though my phone number is listed in National Do Not Call Registry for many years, it hasn't worked at all. The only relief is that on my iPhone, I was able to block all calls n…

Live in Europe, last time I got a spam call 4-5 years ago it was my ISP asking of I wanted to add tv to my internet. Told them not to call me again and they didn't.

I live in Europe and I get spam calls from the US :(

Re: Anti-fraud tools can't keep pace with robocall scammers

#40

Post by f1ay »

dontscamgrandma.com is probably apropos to share here for the elderly / vulnerable affected by scam proliferation. It's a trainer that roleplays people through getting the confidence to hang up and call their loved ones back.

Full disclosure I'm the founder, and I've got a couple dogs in this fight

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