The number of scam robocalls has dropped by nearly 50% in the past year, but the number of scam text messages has increased by a factor of 12 in the same timeframe, according to a report released this week by the U.S. PIRG Education Fund. As well, about 80% of consumers are choosing not to answer phone calls from unknown numbers, which, for companies in the accounts receivable management industry, further demonstrates the importance of using proper caller ID when making calls to consumers.
There are now more than 12 billion robotexts sent each month, up from 1 billion at this time last year, according to the report. The good news, according to PIRG, is that it is more difficult for a consumer to be scammed via a text message than it is to be taken advantage of during a phone call.
The report also details that there are more than 1,900 voice service providers who are using STIR/SHAKEN protocols to screen calls being made through their platforms, and another 1,500 companies have partially adopted the technology. An additional 3,000 providers indicated they are not using STIR/SHAKEN but are using their own robocall mitigation systems.
The Federal Communications Commission needs to continue cracking down on voice service providers that do not implement robocall mitigation technology, the report recommends. “There’s a ton of non-compliance,” according to the report. “The FCC could block offenders from being allowed to transmit calls, basically putting them out of business. It hasn’t yet blocked a single company from transmitting calls. That needs to change.”
