ROBOCALL

RADAR

 Q1 2018 REPORT

SUMMARY

Unsolicited robocalls are the #1 source of consumer complaints

to the Federal Communications Commission and Federal Trade

Commission. This incessant problem is only getting worse due to

a lucrative profit motive for scammers.

Hiya provides reputation information based on real-time analysis

that identifies spammers in minutes. Hiya analyzes more

than 5.3 billion calls globally to identify incoming and outgoing

calls. With this information, users can elect to block unwanted

robocalls from ringing through to their mobile device.

In our Q1 report, we'll look at some of the data and trends

from January-March 2018, including: the number of spam calls

identified within the quarter, the top phone scams in the United

States and a look at the top scam number of the quarter. While

robocalls constitute a large share of all unwanted calls, in this

report, the term "robocall" should be interpreted as all unwanted

calls.

SPAM BY THE

NUMBERS

PART ONE:

     4       Robocall Radar

Growth in user spam reports from Q1 2017

to Q1 2018

10%

Growth in Neighbor Scam from Q1 2017 to Q1 2018

1000%

[Q1 2018]

Total # placed in the

U.S.

4.9 billion 

Robocalls

*

*Robocall Radar is calculated by extrapolating the total

number of unwanted robocalls detected among Hiya's user

base as compared to the entire US mobile subscriber base.

Average # of Monthly Unwanted Calls Received per Person

6

     6      Robocall Radar

[TOP SCAMS IN THE US]

Featured Spam: Political

Despite how annoying they may be, political robocalls fall into

two categories, legal and illegal. Unfortunately both types are still

on the rise. From candidate mudslinging to requests for

donations to survey prize offers, it's becoming more difficult to

differentiate what is and is not legitimate before it's too late. 

Scammers will use any tactic to obtain personal information to

steal your identity and money. 

1. When you receive a call requesting campaign donations, do

not offer-up personal information until you have confirmed the

caller is with a legitimate organization.

2. Callers that offer incentives to take campaign surveys should

be seen as a red flag, especially when they request credit card

information.

3. To make sure the political call is legitimate, request they send

you information by mail. 

 

Political

Spam

+3,250%Q1 2017- Q1

2018

How to Avoid Political Spam

TOP PHONE SCAMS

IN THE U.S.

PART TWO:

     7       Robocall Radar

Area Code of the Quarter: 214 

(Dallas, TX)

A number of airlines (i.e. Southwest, American)

are headquartered in or near Dallas so many

scammers utilize numbers from this area code

to pose as agents to lure victims into believing

they've won a trip. 

1. 214 (Dallas, TX)

2. 817 (Fort Worth, TX)

3. 210 (San Antonio, TX)

4. 512 (Austin, TX)

5. 832 (Houston, TX)

6.407 (Orlando, FL)

7. 405 (Oklahoma City, OK)

8. 404 (Atlanta, GA)

9. 205 (Birmingham, AL)

10. 918 (Tulas, OK)

[TOP AREA CODES TARGETED BY SPAMMERS]

     8       Robocall Radar

Robocall Number 

of the Quarter

Phone number: 855-465-4017

Outbound calls: 161,526 

Inbound calls: 3,112

  

Who is it: XM Sirius Radio 

Spam Category: Telemarketer 

  

A better phone

experience.