Illegal, automated robocalls are annoying and often lead to people being scammed.  I have written often about efforts to stop illegal robocalls, but unfortunately, these efforts are often not sufficient.  One question that comes up, however, is how do the robocalling scammers get your phone number?  While sometimes it is random, in many other instances it is because companies trick you into providing personal information including your phone number and then sell this information to robocalling scammers.

Recently the Federal Trade Commission settled a lawsuit against Response Tree LLC which sold hundreds of thousands of telephone numbers that it obtained through more than fifty websites such as PatriotRefi.com, AbodeDefense.com and TheRetailRewards.com which purported to provide services such as quotes for home mortgage refinancing that were never provided to the people providing their personal information.  Instead their information was sold to robocall telemarketers selling things such as fake auto mobile warranties.  Under the terms of the settlement a 7 million dollar judgment was ordered (but also suspended due to to the supposed inability to pay of Response Tree LLC) as well as banning Response Tree LLC from being involved with robocalls.

TIPS

Before you provide personal information to any website, do a search engine search with the name of the website and words such as “scam,” “complaints” or “reviews.”  Often this will save you a lot of trouble.

Also, there is never anything fine in fine print, but is important to always read the fine print on any website where you might provide personal information.  Often buried in the fine print is the disclosure that your information may be sold to other companies.  If that is the case, you may wish to reconsider using the particular website.

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