Why Am I Getting So Many Spam Calls All of a Sudden?

Have you noticed an increase in spam calls lately?

I have been getting SO MANY spam calls, and they have gotten completely out of control.

Most of mine are from people claiming they want to give me a business loan.

There’s just one problem.

I never applied for a business loan.

Thankfully, I know enough not to fall for these calls. I’ve always just ignored them, blocked the numbers and gone on with my day.

But lately, ignoring them has gotten a lot harder.

I Started Getting Call After Call After Call

I’m not talking about one or two annoying calls during the day.

Sometimes my phone will ring, I’ll ignore it, and almost immediately another call comes in from a completely different number.

Then another.

And another.

I’ve had stretches where I’ve received close to 10 calls within just a few minutes.

It feels like they’re using some kind of automated system that just keeps dialing from different numbers until you finally answer.

And apparently, I’m not the only one dealing with this.

The Federal Trade Commission has actually warned consumers about unexpected loan calls just like these. Some people have reported receiving 5 to 20 calls in a single day, often from different phone numbers but with the same basic story.

The caller may say you’ve applied for a loan, been preapproved for a loan or need to provide additional information to finish a loan application.

Except you never applied for one in the first place.

Then I Remembered the Do Not Call Registry

Years ago, I remember adding my phone number to the National Do Not Call Registry.

Honestly, I hadn’t thought about it in years.

With all of these calls suddenly coming in, I decided to check my number.

And guess what?

My phone number wasn’t registered anymore.

I immediately added it again.

The interesting thing is that according to the FTC, Do Not Call registrations aren’t supposed to expire. Once your number is registered, it generally stays registered unless the number is disconnected and reassigned or you ask for it to be removed.

The FTC also says that if your number was disconnected and later reconnected, you might need to register it again.

I don’t know exactly why mine was no longer there, but I’m glad I checked.

How to Check Your Phone Number

You can check whether your phone number is registered with the National Do Not Call Registry for free.

Visit the official National Do Not Call Registry website and choose the option to check your registration.

If your number isn’t registered, you can add it for free.

According to the FTC, your number should appear on the registry by the next day, although it can take up to 31 days for legitimate sales calls to stop.

Check Your Do Not Call Registration

I’m really hoping this cuts down on at least some of the calls I’ve been getting.

But There’s Something Important You Should Know

Registering your number isn’t a magic spam call blocker.

The National Do Not Call Registry is intended to stop unwanted sales calls from legitimate companies that follow the law.

Scammers don’t exactly care about following the law.

That means scam calls can still come through even after you’ve registered your number.

But the FTC says being registered can reduce legitimate unwanted sales calls, which makes the illegal and scam calls that remain easier to recognize.

What You Should Do With These Loan Calls

If you’re getting calls saying you applied for a loan when you know you didn’t, don’t engage with them.

The FTC recommends that you:

Don’t call the number back. Don’t press a button to be removed from their list. Don’t give them personal or financial information. Don’t trust the number on your caller ID. Scammers can make a call appear to come from a local or legitimate-looking number. Block the calls when possible. Report unwanted calls to the FTC.

You can report unwanted calls through the official Do Not Call website as well.

One thing that surprised me was the recommendation not to press a number to “unsubscribe.” I always assumed telling them to stop calling might help.

Instead, the FTC warns that responding can confirm to the caller that they’ve reached an active phone number.

So now I’m sticking with don’t answer, don’t respond and don’t give them anything.

Take 30 Seconds and Check Your Number

If you’ve noticed your phone suddenly blowing up with spam calls, I’d encourage you to check your phone number.

I assumed mine was still on the Do Not Call Registry because I had registered it years ago.

It wasn’t.

It took me hardly any time to add it again, and I’m hoping it brings back at least a little bit of peace and quiet.

And if you’ve been getting those strange calls about a business loan or loan application you never requested, you’re definitely not the only one.

Whatever you do, don’t give the caller any personal information.

Now I’m curious: Have your spam calls gotten worse lately too?