A robocall is an automated telephone call disseminating a recorded message to individuals on a political party or telemarketing company’s authority. A robocall may also direct the recipient to press specific numbers during the call to be transferred to a live agent or call the live agent with the number they are given during the call. Robocalls are cheap to run as they can deliver messages to many persons at a low cost and with minimal human involvement. Government agencies sometimes use robocalls to disseminate information to state residents during cases of emergency. Legitimate organizations also use robocalls to get in touch with consumers who have given their consent to be contacted.
Robocalls are sometimes exploited by fraudsters who use them to perpetrate fraudulent activities to defraud state residents. The call recipient’s consent is of paramount importance and must be obtained before a robocall is sent, as unsolicited robocalls are illegal. However, certain robocalls do not require the recipient’s permission. These include:
- Robocalls concerning debt collection;
- Robocalls from hospitals, pharmacies, and other healthcare providers;
- Robocalls from political bodies or bearing a political message;
- Robocalls containing a message that is solely meant to inform the receiver;
- Robocalls from charitable organizations made to either a member of the organization or an individual who has previously donated to the organization.
What Are Oklahoma Robocall Scams?
Oklahoma robocall scams refer to the illegal use of robocalls to mislead individuals and cause them to divulge their personal and financial information. Robocall phone scams also involve defrauding, stealing, and playing harmful pranks on individuals, which causes financial ruin and bodily harm. Some pranksters imitate emergency numbers with Caller ID spoofing robocalls and mislead unsuspecting state residents by disseminating false information, such as calling a bomb or fire alert. Individuals can use a reverse phone number search to differentiate between robocalls and live calls.
In 2019, Oklahoma registered 1218 robocalls per 100,000 residents, making it among the states with the least robocalls rates in the United States.
How Are Robocalls Used in Oklahoma Scams?
Scammers use robocalls to perpetrate criminal activities over the phone. These scammers sometimes conceal their identities and impersonate government agencies, legitimate organizations, and persons that the targets are familiar with by using the Caller ID spoofing technique. Spoofed robocalls sometimes deliver messages that suggest that the recipients follow certain directives to speak with live agents or reach out to them after the call by dialing the phone numbers given to them. When the recipients are transferred to the “supposed live agents,” the live agents will try to convince them to purchase certain bogus goods or services. In some instances, the robocall will contain a message informing the recipient that their credit card has been compromised and that the recipient will need to give them their credit card details to rectify the problem. If they fall for this scheme, the scammer will use their credit card details to make withdrawals from their bank account.
Robocall scammers impersonate government agencies with the Caller ID spoofing technique and offer individuals huge monetary grants. During these scam robocalls, the targets will be directed to pay certain processing fees and taxes for the grants. Robocall scams also involve sending pre-recorded messages where the targets are made to believe that they are in trouble, which can be resolved by pressing specific numbers to speak with live government agents.
Unsolicited robocalls where the call initiator places a call to an individual without obtaining the individual’s express consent is illegal and can be reported as a spam call and a potential scam. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) provides information on Caller ID spoofing and how to avoid them.
Does Oklahoma Have Anti-Robocall Laws?
The Telemarketer Restriction Act and the Oklahoma Commercial Telephone Restriction Act regulates all solicitation calls in the state, including robocalls. There are no specific laws that prohibit robocalls; however, robocalls sent without the recipient’s express consent are classified as unsolicited calls, which is prohibited. The law provides that all telephone solicitors obtain the recipient’s permission before sending a robocall. Exceptions to this law include solicitations for nonprofit organizations, solicitations for charitable and religious groups, solicitations for political candidates and causes, and solicitations from businesses with whom a consumer has an established business relationship. In addition, telemarketers cannot call a person registered on Oklahoma Do Not Call registry 30 days after the person has registered their name and number. This law strongly prohibits robocalls for fraudulent reasons.
Oklahoma also has certain anti-robocall principles, originating from an agreement between State Attorneys General and telephone service providers, which prohibits illegal and unwanted robocalls. Following the agreement made, phone service providers must incorporate these eight anti-robocall principles into their business practices:
- Offer free call blocking and labeling services to subscribers
- Implement STIR/SHAKEN
- Analyze and monitor network traffic
- Investigate suspicious calls and calling patterns
- Confirm the identities of commercial customers
- Require traceback cooperation in contracts
- Cooperate in traceback investigations
- Communicate with State Attorneys General
Are There Special Requirements for Robocalls in Oklahoma?
There are special requirements for robocalls in Oklahoma, which the State Attorney General and local district attorneys enforce. It is mandatory that telemarketers and telemarketing companies comply with the requirements listed below as violating them is considered a potential scam. The requirements for robocalls in Oklahoma include:
- The recipient’s permission must be sought before the call because telemarketers are not permitted to randomly send robocalls to consumers.
- Robocalls before 8:00 a.m. and after 9:00 p.m. Oklahoma local time are not permitted except if the recipient gives written or oral permission to be contacted at any time.
- Robocalls must not be sent to numbers on Oklahoma Do Not Call registry, and the National Do Not Call Registry.
- A robocall must plainly state the purpose of the call, the name of the organization on whose behalf the call is placed, and the product or service for sale.
How Do I Stop Robocalls?
Robocalls can be annoying and disruptive, especially when sent without the consent of the recipient. These calls are also exploited by scammers and are used to carry out criminal activities, such as defrauding and stealing money or personal financial information from the recipients. Hence, individuals need to take active steps to restrict robocalls to avoid unsolicited robocalls. These steps include:
- Register your number for free on Oklahoma Do Not Call registry, or the National Do Not Call Registry provided by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or call 1 (888) 382-1222 to restrict robocalls. The registered number remains on the registry indefinitely until you demand its removal.
- File a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to report any suspicious or non-compliant robocalls online. Residents can also call the FTC on 1 (888) 382-1222 or the FCC on 1 (888) 225-5322.
- Do not answer calls from unknown numbers and if you do, hang up as soon as you notice that the call is delivering a pre-recorded message or the caller requests for personal information.
- Restrict robocalls by blocking them with built-in call-blocking features or third-party mobile apps on your smartphone. Android phones and iPhones have features that enable you to block unwanted calls. You can also get free third-party mobile applications like Truecaller, Hiya, Nomorobo, and YouMail on the Google play store or Apple play store, for Android and iPhones, respectively.