If you’ve been seeing a rampant increase in those annoying, scammy robocalls – you’re not alone. This past week alone, I’ve been getting 3-5 a day. Sometimes it’s about winning a free cruise, other times it’s about credit services or a medical alarm. These are the worst. So what’s a person with a phone to do? The Better Business Bureau just sent out some helpful tips that I’ll pass along.

You Still Want To Register Your Number

While the National Do Not Call List blocks some calls, it definitely doesn’t block all of them. It’s still worth adding your number, though. You can register by calling 1-888-382-1222 or by visiting DoNotCall.gov. Once you add your number, you don’t need to register again.

Don’t Answer Calls From Unknown Numbers

You can save yourself some time by letting those calls go to voicemail. If the caller is an actual person, they’ll leave you a message.

Watch Out For Spoofing

“Spoofing” is when a scammer uses technology to alter what shows up on your caller ID. They can make it look like the call is coming from a local number or even from the government or a hospital. That's why you still want to let unknown numbers go to voicemail - even if the area code shows up as 507.

Block Confirmed Robocall Numbers

Once you know your missed call is coming from a scammer (I'll usually Google the number to see what comes up), you can manually block the number on your phone. You can also try downloading smartphone apps that may be helpful.

Avoid Calls From "Cardholder Services" or "Student Loan Forgiveness"

These may sound too good to be true, but they usually lead to fraud. Ignore.

Report Them!

You can report calls in violation of the Do Not Call List by calling 1-877-382-4357 or by going to FTC.gov.

While these tips are only a small band-aid for a big, annoying problem, at least there is action currently being taken. Hopefully sooner rather than later, because these calls are the worst!

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