Why I Let It Ring

Complaints about robocalls to the Federal Trade Commission are up 20 percent in the months of March and April compared to January, according to a new report from AllAreaCodes.com.

Tax season is being blamed for a new crop of telephone scams. The report cites two other groups’ estimates that nuisance and scam calls now make up one-third of all incoming calls.

Working from a home office, I can vouch for that.

I have clients all over the country, so I never paid much attention to my Caller ID. But my voicemail message now tells incoming callers that I no longer answer the phone: “If you’re a real person who really needs to speak with me, leave a message and I’ll call you back.”

One day last week, I picked up every call just to confirm my suspicions.

I got offers to improve the rankings of my ridiculously inaccurate Google business listing (see my Sept. 7, 2016 blog post), sell me a credit-card processing system, give me a business loan, or meet my “pain management needs” with a Medicare-approved back or neck brace.

A law enforcement-related charity wants money. IRS scammers called twice with bogus threats of legal action, and the Hope & Prayer Ministry will save my soul for a small donation.

And that’s just the landline. On the cell phone, I mostly get credit card interest-rate reduction come-ons and vacation scams.

When will this madness end?

The AllAreaCodes report says fewer people complained to the FTC about nuisance and scam calls in 2018 than 2017 – feeling, no doubt, that it won’t do any good.

I’ll admit I’ve never officially complained, for the same reason. I’m on the National Do Not Call Registry, but seriously, what good has it done?

In the meantime, if you’re a real human from a real company, please do call or email. I promise I will get back to you promptly! And I won’t try to sell you anything but my services as a caring, competent writer and editor.