Americans keep losing more money to spam calls and texts.
Scammers send out high volumes of robocalls and robotexts to pose as legitimate groups and trick people into sharing sensitive information, such as bank details and Social Security numbers.
Victims lost nearly $70 billion to robocalls and $33 billion to robotexts in 2023, marking an increase of $38 billion from 2022, according to call-blocker app Robokiller.
Losses have mounted even after the number of calls and texts fell last year, showing how scammers have gotten better at targeting victims.
There were 59 billion robocalls and 160 billion robotexts in 2023, down from 78 billion calls and 226 billion texts in 2022, according to Robokiller.
People in some states are suffering much more from spam calls and texts.
The five worst U.S. states for spam calls were Texas (260 per person), Arkansas (235 per person), Oklahoma (220 per person), Georgia (212 per person) and South Carolina (212 per person).
The worst region and states for spam texts were Washington D.C. (109 per person), Oklahoma (79 per person), Mississipi (75 per person), Missouri (71 per person) and Louisiana (69 per person).
Why are these states hotspots for spam calls and texts?
Southern states are more prone to spam calls and texts, which is likely because the median age is older in these states, Sarah McConomy, chief operating officer at used-phone marketplace SellCell, told ConsumerAffairs.
“Seniors are well evidenced to be mass targets for spammers," she said, pointing to a University of Michigan study that found three out of four older adults have fallen victim to one in the last two years.
McConomy said another reason is data breaches: Texas reported the second-highest number of data breaches hitting government organizations in 2023.
“If there has been a high number of data breaches in your area, it is likely that the scammers have more names and addresses for that area and as such have sold them on, and the cycle continues," she said. "This means you are more likely to fall victim to a scam call or text."
The bigger picture
People actively registered on a "do not call" list have risen as complaints have fallen in recent years, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
In December, the FTC passed regulations to close loopholes by requiring that telemarketing robocalls are only allowed if the actual seller, not the telemarketing company, acquires written consent.
But spam calls, which the FTC says are mostly robocalls but also include live callers, are still a big problem in many states despite the decline in complaints.
In 2023, the five worst states by complaints per 100,000 people were Delaware (1,024), Ohio (949), Virginia (781), Nevada (774) and Illinois (751).
The states with the least amount of complaints per 100,000 people were North Dakota (281), Iowa (361), Alaska (377), Montana (411) and Louisiana (425).
Tips for avoiding spam calls and texts
SellCell has some recommendations for avoiding scammers on the phone.
- Remove viruses and malware: Clicking a link from a robotext can install viruses or malware, which is why you should regularly check for suspicious apps and ensure your phone is updated with the latest security fixes.
- Block callers: There are plenty of apps that can automatically block spam calls and texts.
- Follow latest scams: Check news for the latest scams and remember that no bank will call you asking for sensitive information over the phone.