LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — If it feels like your phone never stops buzzing with “Scam Likely” calls, you’re not alone. Experts say robocalls are hitting all of us on a massive scale, and they’re not slowing down anytime soon.
WATCH | Shakeria Hawkins spoke to a cybersecurity expert to learn what you can do to protect yourself:
Las Vegas resident Isela Arce says she gets at least 10 scam calls a day.
“It’s non-stop. It’ll go hang up, hang up, call back — about eight calls, then it will stop,” she said. “And that’s on the lower end. Sometimes they just go crazy — and it’s the same number over and over.”
Why the calls keep coming
According to Frank Teruel, a cybersecurity expert with Arkose Labs, the calls are cheap to run and often pay off.
“Almost 53 billion robocalls went out to Americans,” Teruel explained. “If you do the math, that’s about 14 or 15 per person every month. One in five people still get hammered by these calls, with the average payout somewhere between $1,500 and $2,000. For fraudsters, they only need one to make this profitable — that’s why it keeps happening.”
Why blocking apps don’t always work
Many people try to fight back with robocall-blocking apps or by signing up for the National Do Not Call Registry, but Teruel says that’s not always enough.
The registry was designed to stop legitimate telemarketers — not sophisticated scam bots. And even the best blocking apps have limits.
“The reality of attacks at this scale is they happen so quickly there’s just no way to block these numbers,” Teruel said. “The best defense you have is behavior, don’t respond.”
What you can do
So what’s the best way to protect yourself? Teruel recommends:
- Ignore calls from numbers you don’t recognize
- Turn on scam filters built into your phone
- Register for the Do Not Call list to at least reduce legitimate telemarketing calls
He also warns that answering unknown calls can actually trigger more spam calls, since it signals to scammers that your number is active.
For Arce, the constant ringing has already changed her habits.
“I’ve missed so many doctors calling because I don’t answer my phone anymore,” she said.
Experts say the safest approach is simple: just don’t pick up at all. If it’s important, they’ll leave a voicemail.