MAHMOUD BENNETT:
AMERICANS ARE DROWNING IN SPAM
ACCORDING TO THE FTC – FRAUD WENT UP 70% LAST YEAR – THAT WAS ENOUGH FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO ANNOUNCE SWEEPING NEW RULES IN MAY TO TRY AND PUT A STOP TO ROBOCALLS
BUT NOW DATA SHOWS SCAM BY TEXT AND EMAIL IS THE NEW TREND
I’VE BEEN GETTING LOTS OF THESE RECENTLY AND ACCORDING TO THE SPAM TRACKING APP ROBOKILLER THE AVERAGE AMERICAN RECEIVED 44 SPAM MESSAGES LIKE THESE IN JUNE
SO FAR THIS YEAR AMERICANS HAVE LOST A REPORTED 64 MILLION DOLLARS TO FRAUD SCHEMES BY TEXT ALONE. THAT’S A 220% INCREASE FROM SAME QUARTER OF LAST YEAR
AND WHILE THE STANDARD ADVICE OF JUST BLOCKING NUMBERS OR NOT RESPONDING TO SPAM SEEMS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD – SCAMMERS ARE GETTING MORE SOPHISTICATED
SENDING MESSAGES LIKE THESE – *PRETENDING* TO HAVE THE WRONG NUMBER – A NEW TACTIC THAT TWITTER USERS ARE CALLING A STEP UP FROM YOUR TYPICAL INSURANCE FRAUDSTER
FCC LEADERSHIP ANNOUNCED A PROPOSAL IN OCTOBER TO LOOK INTO TACKLING THESE ROBO TEXTS.
IT’S YET TO BE TAKEN UP FOR A VOTE AND STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS HAS REACHED OUT FOR COMMENT