A robocall is an automated phone call that delivers a pre-recorded message to an individual or group of people. Robocalls use automated dialers to contact pre-selected lists of phone numbers. They are often used by advertising agencies, government agencies, and political campaigners to send recorded messages to mass audiences at much cheaper rates than traditional calls.
Although telemarketers or agencies view robocalls as viable tools for publicity, some robocalls are illegal and are designed to publicize information on underhanded products and services. Such robocalls are spam calls intended to fleece unsuspecting persons.
What are Illinois Robocall Scams?
Illinois robocall scams are illicit activities originating from unsolicited calls targeted at residents in order to steal personal information or money. Robocall scams may also involve spamming a catalog of contact numbers to find those currently in use. Phone scammers use spoofing technology to fraudulently make government agencies’ phone numbers appear on contacts' phones to make victims believe that they are legitimate.
In 2018, Illinois residents received an estimated 1.7 billion unsolicited calls. By the following year, over 2 billion robocalls were recorded, amounting to an average of 161 robocalls per resident in 2019.
How are Robocalls Used in Illinois Scams?
Through a method called spoofing, robocall scammers deliberately falsify the information transmitted to the caller ID at the receiver's end to disguise their identities. A scammer may spoof a neighbor's number or a company's number such that it looks like an incoming call is originating from a local number, government agency, or a company number known to the call recipient. Robocall scammers then use scam scripts to steal money or personal information from unsuspecting Illinois residents who answer their calls.
Does Illinois Have Anti-Robocall Laws?
The Illinois Automatic Telephone Dialers Act prohibits the use of autodialers except under certain circumstances. A robocall activates an autodialer which automatically dials phone numbers from a list to deliver a recorded message. The Act defines an autodialer as any telephone dialing or accessing device, machine, computer, or system that may be used to store telephone numbers which is programmed to access a stored contact list randomly or sequentially. The Act prohibits robocalls between 9:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m.
The Illinois Public Act 98-0546 which went into effect on August 26, 2013 amended the Telephone Consumer Protection Act to provide for statutory damages available for violation and recordkeeping requirements. In addition to the damage authorized by the court in any judgment, anyone operating an autodialer is liable to pay $500 per violation.
Are there Special Requirements for Robocalls in Illinois?
Apart from the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) which sets forth guidelines for telemarketers to follow for robocalls, the State of Illinois grants residents strong legal protection against unwanted robocalls. The Automatic Telephone Dialers Act sets certain guidelines for robocalls in the state:
- No person is permitted to use an autodialer to place phone calls between 9:00 p.m. and 9 a.m.
- An autodialer must disconnect no longer than 30 seconds after the end of the call
- Where disconnecting within 30 seconds beyond the end of a call is not technically possible, the autodialer must use a live operator who presents their name and the name, address, and the phone number of the entity being represented and the reason for the call. The live operator must ask at the start of the call if the person answering consents to hear a pre-recorded message
- Autodialers are not permitted to be used to dial numbers determined by successively increasing or decreasing integers
- Autodialers are not to be operated in any way that impair the functioning of caller IDs
Certain exemptions are provided by Illinois to the guidelines above:
- Robocall made in response to a specific request of the person being called.
- Robocall made to a person with a prior or existing business relationship with the caller
- Robocalls made on behalf of any charitable, research survey, public opinion polling, political, or radio or television broadcast rating organization.
How Do I Stop Robocalls?
Not all robocalls are scam calls. However, many robocall operators are increasingly becoming sinister with their motives. Several robocall operators obtain sensitive information from residents to perpetrate financial and identity thefts. Illinois residents may curb robocall scams with reverse phone number lookup which helps identify unsolicited calls and strange callers. The following steps may be taken to avoid falling victim to robocall scams:
- Avoid answering calls from unknown numbers. If you do, hang up as soon as possible. Do not answer any question posed by the robocaller, especially ones that may be answered with "Yes". Never reveal personal information such as social security number, account numbers, passwords, mother's maiden name, and any other identifying information if you answer a robocall. Note that an incoming call may be spoofed. A caller ID showing a local number does not mean that is indeed a local caller.
- Block robocall numbers by using any of the free or premium call-blocking features available from your phone service provider. If your provider does not offer this feature, you may use third-party apps with built-in call blocking and spam protection features.
- Report robocalls to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or call the FTC at 1-877-FTC-HELP. Robocall complaints may also be filed with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) or at 1-888-CALL-FCC. You may report the number that appears on the caller ID and any number you are told to call back. Reported robocall and scam numbers are released to the public every day to help phone service providers in their work on call-blocking solutions. Reporting these numbers may also help law enforcement in identifying the persons behind malicious robocalls.
- Add your phone number to the national Do Not Call Registry maintained by the FTC. The Illinois Attorney General's Office enforces the rules of the DNC to ensure that businesses follow the law and consumers are not defrauded. You may register for free online or call 1-888-382-1222. Note that under federal and state law, certain organizations and businesses may still call numbers registered in the DNC.