Utah residents warned as robocalls are on the rise

FILE PHOTO

SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Department of Commerce is warning that Utah citizens continue to receive multiple types of automated phone calls. According to a June 1 press release, the calls commonly offer student loan debt relief, credit card offers, vacations and solar energy promotions. Despite strict restrictions from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the number of calls are increasing.

Francine Giani, the Department of Commerce’s executive director, advised against accepting phone calls from unfamiliar numbers and said to make sure both home and cell phone numbers are registered in the FTC <a href=”https://www.donotcall.gov/” target=”_blank”>Do Not Call Registry</a>. This action may not eliminate all unwanted calls, but it will help to hold advertisers accountable, the release said.

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Consumers are also advised to contact their phone company, as some will offer technology that helps stop the unwanted solicitations. The release also warned of “spoofing”, a method where the caller impersonates a business, often threatening lawsuits or using other tactics to get valuable information. If a suspicious phone call is received, consumers are advised to not answer any questions, but to just hang up.

“(S)ome calls may try to trick consumers into agreeing to fees or charges by asking them if they can ‘hear me now’?” the release stated. “Don’t fall for the bait – hang up the phone.”

The Department of Commerce listed several permissible robocalls such as information on school closings, airline flight updates, messages from charities and political calls.

You can register your phone numbers into the Do Not Call Registry <a href=”https://www.donotcall.gov/” target=”_blank”>here</a>.

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