Better Business Bureau says robocalls likely to increase during election year

THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAUSAYS, IN THE MONTH OFNOVEMBER, AMERICANS RECEIVED 5-áBILLION ROBOCALLS.

SOME AREILLEGAL.

OTHERS AREN'T.

MOSTPEOPLE WOULD SAY THEY'RE ALLANNOYING.NEW THIS MORNING,PETE ZERVAKIS JOINS US WITHTHE BEST WAY TO TRY AND KEEPTHE ROBOCALLS YOU RECEIVE TO AMINIMUM...5-BILLION ROBOCALLS IN A MONTHTRANSLATES TO 2,000 ROBOCALLSEVERY SECOND!

AND THIS YEAR...THAT NUMBER WILL CLIMB EVENHIGHER.AS THE 2020 PRESIDENTIALCAMPAIGN RAMPS UP... THEBETTER BUSINESS BUREAU SAYSAMERICANS WILL GET MORE,POLITICAL ROBOCALLS.

Thisyear, a presidential electionyear, it's going to be off thecharts WHILE THE CALLS MIGHTBE AGGRAVATING, THEY'RE NOTILLEGAL.

THE SAME GOES FORROBOCALLS FROM CHARITIES..

ORCALLS THAT ARE INFORMATIONAL.BUT OTHER ROBOCALLS áAREILLEGAL.

Any time one of theserobocalls tries to sell you aproduct, that's how you knowit's illegal and a red flagTHE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THEBETTER BUSINESS BUREAU SAYSWHETHER IT'S A LEGITIMATESALES PITCH... OR JUST ASCAM.... AUTOMATED CALLS CAN'TLEGALLY TRY ANYTHING HAVEWRITTEN CONSENT FROM YOUFIRST.

HE SAYS SCAMROBOCALLS... CLAIMING TO BEFROM LAW ENFORCEMENT, OR THEI-R-S, ... BECOME MOREFREQUENT WHEN THE PEOPLEBEHIND THEM CONFIRM A WORKINGPHONE NUMBER.

SO YOUR BESTDEFENSE: DON'T PICK UP THEPHONE.

Once you answer it andthey know it's a live phone,they're going to call youmore.

And you'll get onanother list that anotherscammer is going to buyYOU CAN ALSO REPORT ILLEGALCALLS TO THE BBB ... WHICHFORWARDS THOSE COMPLAINTS ONTO FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS.

ORYOU CAN GO STRAIGHT TO THEFEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION.

IF ANUMBER GENERATES A FLURRY OFCOMPLAINTS... THE FEDS CAN GOAFTER WHOEVER IS BEHIND IT,AND GET THE PHONE NUMBER SHUTDOWN.