Better Business Bureau: Times of uncertainty prompt more scams, spam calls

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — The Better Business Bureau says they are seeing a recent uptick in spam calls.

“We’ll get a warranty call that your car warranty is going out, but we don’t have a car warranty,” said Don Cummins.

Whether it’s about car warranties or more pressing issues like vaccinations or stimulus checks — times of uncertainty prompt more scams.

“Anytime there is a confusion, which is what we are experiencing right now during this pandemic, that is when scammers take advantage and try to reach out to consumers,” said Better Business Bureau Communications Manager Ben Spradling. “So it’s no shock to me that we’re seeing a spike in some of those spam calls right now.”

But how do scammers get your information in the first place?

The Bureau said it could be through security breaches or just because scammers are resourceful at building profiles and piecing together information.

“We’re on do-not-call lists, but we still get them,” said Carolyn Cummins.

“With the technology out there, they’ll find their way around whatever’s put up,” said Don Cummins.

The Federal Communications Commission is always working to better identify scammers and shut them down, but the battle is to stop spam calls is never-ending.

“Obstacles they (FCC) put in front of them that may slow it down for a period, they’re (scammers) going to find a way to work around that eventually, so they’re going to get to you,” Spradling said.

Spradling reminds individuals to send unknown callers to voicemail, and if anytime someone is soliciting information, most likely it’s a scam.

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