A robocall is an incoming call from an unknown number, where instead of conversing with a real human, you hear a pre-recorded message via an auto-dialer. Auto dialers are popular with robocalls because users can dial telephone numbers from a large pool of phone lines with minimal human effort. Businesses use robocalls to get in touch with their consumers, send notifications, reminders, and information. Provided businesses have the permission of the call recipient and are not trying to sell anything, the calls are legal. Charities and nonprofits can use robocalls to contact Utahns as long as they do not outsource the operation to a telemarketing outfit. If they do the robocalling themselves, it is considered a legal process that does not require your permission. Political organizations also find robocalls useful during political campaigns. However, many robocalls are spam calls aimed at defrauding Utahns.
What are Utah Robocall Scams?
Utah robocall scams are illegal activities of crooked individuals using robocalls to defraud Utahns of money and valuable items. Robocalls offer an economical means to effectively reach large audiences, which is especially appealing to scammers. Robocall scammers rarely use their true identification while carrying out their devious schemes, which makes cracking down on robocalls challenging. A phone lookup service can help determine if an incoming call is a robocall.
331 million robocalls were made to Utahns in 2018. By 2019, the figure had risen to nearly 432 million. As of October 2020, nearly 287 million robocalls have gone out to Utah residents, an average of 128.6 average calls per person. More than 45% of the robocalls in Utah in 2019, were recorded as phone scams.
How are Robocalls Used in Utah Scams?
Robocall scam rates are rising every year in Utah. Robocall scammers approach residents using a variety of methods to give away money for fake products or services or impersonate a legitimate business to sound real to targets. Nowadays, you only need a few components to start massively spamming people over the phone. With Voice over Internet Protocol software, scammers can now call thousands of people in a day through an internet connection. These duplicitous persons illegally acquire a phone number, which is then fed into the software. Caller ID spoofing is also a method that allows scammers to change their Caller ID to any number they want, including phone numbers of reputable companies, numbers from a local area, or even the target's own number.
Using Caller ID spoofing may scammers have been able to pose like law enforcement agencies or employees of other government agencies. They demand payment for fake causes in various swindling acts. Some robocalls deliver prerecorded messages and ask recipients to press certain numbers to speak with live agents. The scammer at the other end of the call may then request financial or other sensitive information for unwarranted verifications.
Note that many of the robocall scams which require payments are usually requested for in curious channels, such as prepaid debit cards, gift cards, or cryptocurrencies. Reverse phone number searches will go a long way in helping Utahns avoid falling victim to robocall scams.
Does Utah Have Anti-Robocall Laws?
Utah legal provisions for the deterrence of illegal robocalls and telemarketing fraud is governed by the statutes in Utah Code Section 13-25a-103. Under this Telephone and Facsimile Solicitation Act, a person may not operate or authorize the operation of an automated telephone dialing system to make a telephone solicitation without the express permission of the call recipient or an established business relationship. Solicitors who violate this law are subject to a fine of between $100 and $2,500 for each violation. Any solicitor judged to have intentionally violated this law commits a Class A misdemeanor and may be fined up to $2,500.
Under the Telephone Fraud Prevention Act outlined in Section 13-26-11 of the Utah Code, telemarketers in Utah are also prohibited from using a fake name during a telephone solicitation. A first violation of this Act is considered a Class B misdemeanor, while a second offense is charged as a Class A misdemeanor. Third or subsequent offenses are classified as third-degree felonies. Violators of this Utah Code may be fined up to $2,500 per infringement.
Are there Special Requirements for Robocalls in Utah?
Utah sets clear guidelines for robocalls to follow before they can be considered legal in the state. Since many robocalls use Automatic Dialing-Announcing Devices (ADADs) to deliver pre-recorded messages for telephone solicitation, Utah makes stringent regulations for the use of such devices. Telemarketers who refuse to comply with these provisions stand the risk of being considered fraudulent and violators of the Utah anti-robocall laws:
- No telephone solicitations may be made to residential telephones before 8:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m. local time on Monday through Saturday without the prior express consent of the call recipient.
- No telephone solicitations may be to residential telephones on a Sunday or legal holiday with the prior consent of the call recipient.
- Any telephone solicitor who makes an unsolicited phone call to a telephone number shall identify the telephone solicitor, the business on whose behalf the solicitor is soliciting, and identify the purpose of the call promptly upon making contact by telephone with the call recipient
- Telephone solicitors must discontinue the solicitation of the person being solicited gives a negative response at any time during the telephone call.
- A telephone solicitor must hang up the phone, or in the use of an automated dialing system operator, disconnect the automated telephone dialing system from the telephone line within 25 seconds of the termination of the call by the call recipient
- Telephone solicitors may not withhold the display of their caller identification service when that number is being used for telemarketing purposes and when the solicitor’s equipment can allow the display of the number.
- No individual or business may operate an automated telephone dialing system to make a call except where the operator has an established business relationship with the call recipient or has obtained the express consent of the callee.
How Do I Stop Robocalls?
Odds are that you have seen a proliferation in the number of robocalls you receive per day. Although they can be disruptive and annoying, they can also be menacing if you are not prepared. To combat robocalls, Utahn phone users can follow these steps:
- Do not answer calls from unknown callers. Be comfortable with allowing calls from unknown callers to go to voicemail.
- Hang up on robocalls. If you answer a call and realize that it is a robocall, hang up immediately. Do not press any numbers as instructed by the recording. Doing so will only indicate to the scammer that the line is active, which will lead to more robocalls
- Register on the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) free Do Not Call Registry. Illegal telemarketers are prohibited from calling numbers added to the list. If you get a robocall after 31 days of registration, it is likely to be a scam call.
- Report robocalls to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), FTC, or your phone carrier. You can contact the FTC on (888) 382-1222 while the FCC telephone line is (888) 225-5322.
- Block robocalls using your phone's built-in call blocking features. You can also download and install third-party apps from apps stores, such as Truecaller, Hiya, YouMail, Nomorobo, and RoboKiller.