COLUMBUS — A man from Columbus is sharing his story after falling victim to a robocall scam.
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Lawrence Hall told our news partners at WBNS-10 TV that he went to buy something over the phone, but never received the item. Instead, he lost $149.
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He is one of millions of people who have fallen victim to a robocall scam.
“It was $149. They asked for it, and I sent it. No return, nothing. I called them, and the number became unlisted,” Hall said.
Hall said he gets over 35 robocalls a day. He said it’s not only annoying but also frustrating for him because he feels like he can’t answer the phone.
“It’s a shame. I wish they had a better detection system to get the scam artists,” Hall said.
The Ohio Attorney General’s Office told WBNS-10 TV that there are things you can do to prevent robocalls.
The first tip, do not answer the call.
“If it’s a number you aren’t familiar with, even if it’s in our area code, don’t answer the phone,” Ryan Lippe, a consumer educator at the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, said.
Seniors are most vulnerable to the calls because they are lonely and typically answer the phone, according to Lippe.
If you do answer, don’t tell the caller any personal information.
“Try not to talk and engage with a robocaller or with any live operator you don’t want to talk to. The more details you give them, the more they put a profile on you,” Lippe said.
Giving scammers those details could lead to your information being sold or to identity theft, WBNS-10 TV reported.
Lippe said if you get a robocall, report it online so that authorities can help track down the caller.
You can report a robocall online here.
Hall said he hopes the calls stop soon and that he can’t afford to fall for another scam.
“For us seniors, we are on a set income. We don’t have anything extra,” Hall said.
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