If you answer the phone and hear a recorded message instead of a live person, it’s a robocall. If you’re getting a lot of robocalls trying to sell you something, odds are the calls are illegal. Many are also probably scams. Here’s what you need to know about robocalls and what you can do about them.
- Are robocall legal?
- Why do I get so many robocall?
- How can I know if a robocall is a scam?
- What kinds of robocall are allowed without my permission?
- How can I get fewer robocalls?
- What should I do if I get an illegal robocall?
- What else is the FTC doing about robocall?
- Why doesn’t the Do Not Call Registry stop robocall?
Are robocalls legal?
If you answer the phone and hear a recorded message instead of a live person, it’s a robocall. A robocall trying to sell you something is illegal unless the company trying to sell you something got written permission, directly from you, to call you that way. To get your permission, the company has to be clear it’s asking to call you with robocall, and it can’t make you agree to the calls to get a product or service. If you give permission, you have the right to change your mind later.
A few types of robocall are allowed under FTC rules without your permission, like political calls about candidates running for office or charities asking for donations. Keep reading for more examples.
If you’re getting a lot of robocalls trying to sell you something, odds are the calls are illegal. Many are also probably scams.
Why do I get so many robocall?
It’s cheap and easy for scammers and telemarketers to make robocalls over the internet from anywhere in the world.
