Verizon to Unveil Free Robocall Blocking, Spam Flagging Tools
Despite being on every "do not call" list imaginable, robocalls annoyingly flood my day with crafty telemarketers figuring out ways to make the incoming number seem almost legitimate, or in some cases, actually be from the area code you're in!
Well there is good news to report on that front as Verizon, the nation's largest wireless provider, is set to unveil new tools for the smartphone user to fight back with in the seemingly never ending offensive against robocalls.
An announcement is pending offering free spam alerting and robocall blocking tools for wireless customers who have smartphones that can support the features, including Android and iPhones.
Verizon customers will be clued in on how to get and use the app by the end of this week.
Verizon said it had identified nearly 300 million numbers linked to spam and robocalling. More than two-thirds of the calls from legitimate toll-free numbers are identified as nuisance or high-risk. Scams make up nearly half of all robocalls, and the number one ruse involves health insurance, which falsely promises affordable health care to unknowing consumers who are willing to give up their personal or financial data.
On a recent episode of "Last Week Tonight", HBO's John Oliver lambasted the FCC for not requiring phone companies to adopt the technology for robocall blocking that they've been sitting on for years. HBO is owned by AT&T and they probably aren't happy more than 6 million people have watched the segment on YouTube where Oliver activates his own robocalling system targeting the FCC.
More here.