Unwanted robocalls are a nuisance many people have experienced. They can also be damaging.
The North Carolina Attorney General’s office reported receiving more than 10,000 robocalls in 2021 alone. These calls can center on auto warranties, social security, and loan offers. They can cripple people's financial future. According to the Federal Trade Commission and as reported by Axios, Americans across the country lost $158 billion to fraud and scams in 2024.
But that’s not all, these scammers have also tried to infiltrate government officials. Earlier this year, robocallers posed as FCC employees and targeted members of that agency, claiming to be part of a “fraud prevention team.” The effort failed, but illustrates the dangers of these calls, especially as technology advances.
We break down who these robocallers are, how North Carolina is leading a charge to end them, what people need to do to protect themselves, and how government agencies could be a target.
GUESTS:
Adam Doupé, associate professor at the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence at Arizona State University
Sam Sabin, cybersecurity reporter at Axios and author of the weekly Future of Cybersecurity newsletter
