How to Handle Spam Calls to Your Business
Spam calls are a significant complaint among people in the U.S., and their frequency is on the rise. In fact, they were the number one complaint to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in 2017. Over seven million complaints have been filed against spam callers, including reports about robocallers or human telemarketers. Spam calls can be categorized into two main types: legal and illegal.
Types of Legal Spam Calls:
- Cold Calls/Telemarketing: These are calls from real businesses, but they are unsolicited or unwanted. The goal is to persuade you to purchase a product, service, or subscription. These calls can be a nuisance as they can waste your and your employees’ time or provide misleading information.
- Robocalls: Legal robocalls consist of pre-recorded messages, and they are allowed when the caller needs to convey essential consumer information. These could include updates from schools, public offices, appointment reminders, flight cancellations, or bank fraud alerts. While some of these calls can be helpful (for instance, informing your organization of a water main break causing traffic delays), they often target large groups and can be irrelevant to your business.
- Legal Charities & Market Research: These calls aim to solicit donations or gather opinions from businesses. They can be time-consuming and distracting. While some may benefit good causes, these calls typically target individuals who may be more inclined to give their time or money impulsively.
Types of Illegal Spam Calls:
Illegal spam calls are much more harmful as they are designed to scam individuals and businesses. These include:
- Illegal Robocalls: These calls feature pre-recorded messages, and what makes them illegal is that you haven’t given written consent to receive them. Interestingly, these calls often come from legitimate registered businesses that are violating the law. These calls are commonly used for identity theft and other types of fraud. In addition to disrupting your employees, they can significantly affect your business’s security and finances if a recipient falls victim to the scam.
- Scam Calls: These calls usually involve a real person misrepresenting their organization to scam you. They can steal money, personal identity, or both. Examples include the IRS Phone Scam and the Social Security Number Scam. The IRS scam alone has resulted in nearly $14 million in fraudulent payments from unsuspecting consumers since 2013.
There are several key steps you can take to protect your business from spam calls:
How to Keep Your Business Safe from Spam Callers:
- Tip 1: Use Reverse Phone Lookup to Filter Calls
If your caller ID displays an unknown number, use a reverse phone lookup service to research the number before answering. Find a trustworthy website offering this service and instruct your employees to verify unfamiliar phone numbers before picking up. - Tip 2: Register Your Business Phone Numbers in the National Do Not Call Registry
Add all of your business phone lines, whether landlines or cell phones, to the National Do Not Call Registry by visiting www.donotcall.gov. While this won’t eliminate all spam calls, it will significantly reduce their frequency. - Tip 3: Report Unwanted Calls
After 31 days of registering your phone numbers, use the Do Not Call Registry website to report any unwanted calls. - Tip 4: Stay Informed on Common Scams, and Educate Your Staff
As a business owner, it’s important to stay informed about ongoing scams. Regularly visit cybersecurity informational websites and follow updates from the Federal Trade Commission to educate yourself and your team about the latest threats.
Conclusion: Avoiding Spam Calls Should Be a Priority
Spam calls can be disruptive and damaging to your business operations. Fortunately, by following the steps outlined above, you can significantly reduce their impact and gain valuable resources for managing incoming spam calls.
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