If you feel like you’re getting a lot more spam these days, you’re not alone. Both spam calls and text messages increased in number over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, with 5.9 billion spam calls reported in June 2021 alone, an 11% increase. text spam didn’t grow as much, with only 7.1 billion (up 1%) more, but complaints about text spam increased 146% in that period. now, it seems that text message spam is on the rise, and many of us have recently received a barrage of suspicious text messages.
The numbers for spam emails are even more staggering, with 122.3 billion sent every day, though most of it gets caught in spam filters. truecaller, a well-known spam-blocking and caller ID app, also confirmed that there has been an unprecedented rise in spam robocalls and texts, with an estimated $29.8 billion lost to scam calls in 2021 .
Anecdotally, we’ve certainly seen an overall increase in spam, as well as an increase in the amount of spam getting through spam filters. As well as being annoying, we also need to remain vigilant to make sure our devices aren’t compromised and our valuable data doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.
But with so many technologies and algorithms available to block spam, why are we still getting these emails and texts in 2022? we asked industry professionals for their opinion on spam to find out.
how do spammers get my information?
You get spam messages because someone gets access to your email address or phone number. Think about how often you provide your phone number or email address when checking out online, when registering for something, or when signing up for a rewards program in a store.
“many of these service providers have been breached and consumers don’t even know it. there is no way for a consumer to reclaim their information after a breach, and that’s when it leaks to robocall services for big bucks,” rick lazio, a former congressman and now senior vice president at cyber consultancy alliant cybersecurity, told digital trends.
it’s that simple. Even if you practice good data security, there’s no way to stop your phone number and email from being thrown around the world. it’s just the cost of modern living and comfort.
why you get inappropriate spam messages
If you’ve ever received an nsfw (not safe for work) spam message containing a completely inappropriate subject, you’re not alone.
“While everyone is getting spam, there has been an increase in receiving “inappropriate” or “dirty” spam text messages and emails, says rizwan virani, CEO of alliant cybersecurity. “Bad actors know what they’re doing. the purpose of sending spam and phishing messages is ultimately to get the recipient to open, click, or provide information. Regarding dirty spam, bad actors are having success with these types of messages and therefore sending them at a much higher rate than ever before.”
even if someone replies “stop sending me this”, the spammer has engaged with the recipient, giving them a way for further exploitation and data collection.
spam and regulatory issues
Another reason we continue to receive spam calls and emails is that laws are slow to catch up with online crime, and spammers take advantage of this. “Little or no legislation exists from a cybersecurity or data privacy standpoint that would allow law enforcement to prosecute criminals who committed the breach…or allow users to protect their data,” says Lazio. .
“These are all rapidly evolving problems that Washington is trying to solve,” Lazio continued. “We at alliant cybersecurity also see the benefit in a private right of action by consumers against providers who buy the data and/or a large increase in the fine for the same (up to $5 million, for example) if law enforcement Catch up . and maybe even a whistleblower provision to incentivize people within these companies to shine a light.”
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) allows people to file complaints and has initiatives to combat robocalls along with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which allows you to sign up for the National Do Not Call Registry. The FCC has also engaged in enforcement actions, issuing cease and desist orders and imposing fines. However, part of the problem is that the spam problem is simply too big for the FCC to handle alone. “Tighter coordination within the agency and between federal and state partners can help address this consumer epidemic,” FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel said as part of her statement on the launch of a response team. automatic calls.
how to tell if a text message or email is spam
If you weren’t expecting a message from that person or business, it could be spam. Other signs of spam are the following:
- a sense of urgency in the message
- bad grammar or spelling errors in the message
- the message contains a link to click
- the message asks for your personal information or money
- the sender’s email address is from a personal email, but claims to be a business
- doesn’t recognize the number, but the sender claims to be someone you know
what to do if you receive a spam message
If you receive a message that you think might be spam, please do not interact with the sender in any way, shape or form. “The best practice for dealing with spam is to not respond and delete it. don’t answer and don’t call the sender’s phone number,” says virani. “Luckily, opening a text message is completely safe right now. That said, clicking on links, images, responding to text, and providing any additional information does. Instead of opening the text, play it safe and delete it to begin with.”
If you’re not sure whether or not a message is spam, contact the person or business directly and ask if they’ve contacted you. If you get a message from your bank, for example, and you’re not 100% sure the message came from your bank, call your bank directly and ask if they sent you any texts or emails.
Whose devices are the most vulnerable?
Regardless of whether you use Android or iOS, there are ways to prevent spam, but some devices may be more vulnerable than others.
“Phone operating systems come with their own risks and vulnerabilities,” Virani says. “Android phones are actually more risky due to the variety of different operating system versions among android phone manufacturers. the best practice here is to make sure you keep your phone up to date with the latest software. It’s also imperative to understand what mobile apps you have on your phone. mobile apps also include new code and new vulnerabilities. make sure to update your apps and delete the ones you don’t use regularly.”
how to prevent spam
Aside from third-party ID and spam blockers like Truecaller, many cellular carriers offer spam-blocking services either as a separate app you can download or an extra subscription service. One such example is T-Mobile Scam Shield, which is available to customers for free and offers scam ID, scam block, and Caller ID services. Verizon offers a similar Call Filter to screen incoming calls, and Call Filter Plus,which requires a subscription but includes caller ID and a block list. Finally, AT&T has AT&T Call Protect, which lets you block spam calls and unknown numbers, as well as identify spam risk. The Call Protect Plus Upgrade requires a monthly subscription, but it adds caller ID, reverse number lookup, and more granular controls over call categories that are allowed through.
Pixel device users can also use Google’s AI-powered call filtering to filter out unwanted calls and block robocalls. Most of the default phone dialers on both android and ios also have call blocking options, allowing you to create your own call blocking list and providing a way to export this list when you switch devices.
clean your data
Beyond these basics, we also asked patrick ambron, CEO of brandyourself, about other ways to help prevent spam. he suggests going directly to data brokers and people search sites to opt out of selling your data. he also recommends deleting old accounts and protecting active accounts.
“While we may not want to admit it, a lot of us still have that old myspace account we lived with in high school but haven’t thought about in decades,” said ambron. “While it may seem harmless, these accounts are still at risk of a data breach, which would make all the personal information they contain available to spammers on the dark web. We recommend auditing all your email accounts, new and old, to make sure all old social media accounts are disabled. tools like my own or brandyourself account deleter can automate that process for free…
“Take advantage of sites that offer two-factor authentication, which many do today. use password managers like lastpass or onepassword to create complex passwords that are easily accessible, so you don’t constantly reset them. Also, take advantage of the new privacy options that sites like Facebook or Google have started to offer. disable tracking switches manually or use tools like jumboprivacy to do this for you. vpns and ad blockers are great additional tools to limit the amount of data tracking that occurs while you browse.”
Obviously, practicing good data hygiene early on is the easiest thing to do, but the next best thing is to go and clean up old zombie accounts and delete profiles and services you no longer use. It can be tedious, but the less personal information you have floating around online, the better.
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