Background
Yes, it is our inherent responsibility to confront scammers. Now, we are using a report to bid farewell to 2023 and welcome 2024. In this report, we delve into people’s daily habits that may finally lead to actual results—either making them scam-proof or more susceptible to scams.
Introduction
RealCall has released reports ranging from pig butchering scams to AI scams, as we deeply believe that knowing better leads to doing better. However, knowledge is never the sole target. When confronted with potential scam calls or texts disguised as normal ones, the study on behaviors plays a vital role in strengthening call and text security. It not only depends on what people know but also on how people act. Changing people’s behavior is admittedly not easy, but if we want to make the digital world a safer place, it is essential to lead people to awareness of the connection between their behaviors or habits and their scam-proof or scam-prone life.
To prepare for this report, we interviewed 1,000 participants from the US (818 participants) and other countries (182 participants) of all ages from Gen Z to Silent Generations. We extracted all participants’ behaviors and habits regarding their use of phones for calls and messages to draw a leading summary, determining what behaviors should be retained for a secure life and what should be abandoned.
Key Findings
- There’s a paradox; on one hand, staying secure on calls and messages is a big concern for most people, but on the other hand, they easily expose themselves to potential risks.
- Despite a good number of participants having access to call and message security training, its effectiveness falls short of expectations. The elderly receive the least call and message security training but they are the most vulnerable.
- Most scam call/message victims rarely report numbers, and a majority of them have no idea where or how to report.
- Participants have a deep misunderstanding about scam call/message blocker tools, with most believing they’re too expensive and complicated to truly protect against scams.
A Statistical Snapshot of 2023
- In 2023, Americans have received a staggering 52 billion spam and scam calls, indicating an average of around 4.33 billion unwanted calls each month (data up to December 5th, 2023), marking a significant 44% increase from the previous year.
- Over 95 billion spam and scam texts flooded Americans’ phones in 2023, reflecting an approximate 16% YoY increase.
- RealCall’s survey and metrics indicate that Americans suffered an estimated $66 billion in financial losses due to phone scams.
- Scammers are evolving, and some scams are booming. AI impersonation scams are the hottest trend, growing rapidly and causing major financial damage. Fake customer support, student loans, and car warranty scams are also persistent threats. Be on the lookout!
Decoding Scams: Attitudes and Habits that Bite
- There’s a paradox; on one hand, staying secure on calls and messages is a big concern for most people, but on the other hand, they easily expose themselves to potential risks.
- Despite a good number of participants having access to call and message security training, its effectiveness falls short of expectations. The elderly receive the least call and message security training but they are the most vulnerable.
- Most Scam (call/message) victims rarely report numbers, and a majority of them have no idea where or how to report.
Participants have a deep misunderstanding about scam call/message blocker tools, with most believing they’re too expensive and complicated to truly protect against scams.
“How many online accounts is your (private) phone number linked to?”
When asked about their general attitudes towards staying secure from scam calls and messages, 81.3% of participants think it’s a priority to stay secure from scam calls and messages and 71.4% of participants think it is worth the effort. Nevertheless, 55.9% of participants think it’s out of their control to make it. That’s a paradox.
Moreover, among all the participants who believe staying secure from scam calls and messages is a priority or worth the effort, a majority of each age group is for the statement.
In addition, when asked “How many online accounts is your (private) phone number linked to”, 22.7% of participants link their phone numbers to more than 20 online accounts and 22% of participants fail to clearly figure out the exact number. It indicates that a phone number can be easily provided when it’s required by online platforms or services.
On one hand, most participants think it important and necessary to stay secure from scam calls and messages. On the other hand, they tend to be pessimistic about the possibility of making it, and their phone numbers are easily given when being required.
“What is the main reason you didn’t use the opportunity to attend a call and text training?”
When confronted with whether they have access to call and text security training, 63.2% of participants indicated “they have access to it and use it” and among them, more than half of them, 52.85%, are employed.
For participants selecting having access to call and text security training, when they are further asked about the frequency, a majority (58.4%) have access to call and text security training only when something goes wrong. As mentioned above, most of the participants who have access to call and text security training are employed, it can be speculated that organizations care about call and text security training more than individuals.
When categorized by age groups, the elderly (Baby Boomers and Silent Generations) show the lowest percentages among participants accessing call and text security training.
Unfortunately, as a vulnerable group, there are insufficient protections for the elderly when it comes to call and text security.
When it comes to the reasons why some participants have no access to call and text security training, 33.13% indicate that they don’t have time for the training, taking up the largest percentage. The second largest percentage (26.88%) lies in those indicating that “I wouldn’t gain anything by completing the training.”
“Why were you not reporting scam calls/messages?”
Reporting has been regarded as an essential way to protect against scam numbers. Unfortunately, it doesn’t often take place in actual life. 32.2% of participants rarely report scam numbers and 29.5% sometimes. The two percentages account for the top two.
The main reasons for not reporting scam numbers include a small loss (16.43%), a sense of shame (15.49%), and a complicated reporting process (15.02%). These factors are the top three hindrances to reporting scam numbers to relevant organizations.
In addition, among all the participants who have reported scam cases, the targets they reported vary from person to person. Most participants (44.99%) reported scam cases to the police, or another government agency like FCC, and the lowest percentage of participants (4.70%) told their families.
Up to now, there’s still a boundary between victims and reporting action and victims are not that driven to report scam numbers even if they have truly suffered from losses. Some victims even didn’t realize that would be a scam unless they were asked about it.
“I presume my numbers are automatically secure.”
When it comes to participants’ attitudes to number security, a majority (41.6%) don’t think their numbers are automatically secure and 24.3% either agree or disagree. In other words, most of the participants feel insecure about their numbers as they are used for calls and texts.
When asked about the responsibility for protecting numbers, most participants (29.7%) think it should depend on the technology industry, and a little lower percentage (26.4%) on the government.
According to Lisa (Millennials, employed), one of the participants, she said “I hope there’s a tool that can automatically protect me against scam calls and texts through some filtering and identifying schemes. Whenever an unknown caller calls me, it can quickly identify whether it should be answered or not.”
What do people usually do when being confronted with calls and texts from unknown numbers? That’s also included in our survey.
It’s clear that most people (58.6%) stand between a rock and a hard place and they don’t go extremes, neither immediately receive nor immediately hang up. Moreover, they think it’s possible to protect their numbers but it costs a lot since 49.2% of participants agree it is expensive to fully protect their phone numbers.
When asked about their knowledge about scam call/text blockers or apps, the participants who know about it account for 46.7% while those who don’t for 53.3%, almost similar percentages.
Conclusion
RealCall Insights Center’s recent survey revealed areas where Americans can strengthen their defenses against phone scams. While vulnerabilities exist, proactive strategies can significantly improve individual and organizational security.
- Shield your digital footprint. Consider using a separate phone number for critical accounts that store sensitive information, reducing the risk of data breaches.
- Bridge the knowledge gap. Prioritize security training within organizations to heighten awareness of phone scams, particularly among vulnerable groups like students and the elderly.
- Report, don’t ignore it. Reporting suspected scam numbers to the FCC, your mobile service providers, or anti-scam services is important. Every individual’s involvement bolsters protection, particularly for those less familiar with and more susceptible to scam schemes.
Beyond external reliance. While entities like the FCC and FTC have made strides against illegal robocalls, collective action from individuals and organizations remains essential in fortifying community protection.
While the majority acknowledges the importance of staying secure from scams, a significant portion feels it’s beyond their control. The report underscores the need for accessible and effective training, streamlined reporting processes, and increased awareness about affordable and user-friendly scam call/text blocker tools. As we move forward, a collective effort is essential to bridge the gap between awareness and action, making the digital landscape safer for all users.
This report holds significant value for both organizations and individuals. For organizations, it is crucial to ensure the effectiveness of security training, ensuring that every staff member is fully aware of the importance of call and text security. This collective understanding is vital for safeguarding the entire ecosystem of the organization’s data security.
As for individuals, taking proactive measures to protect against scam calls and texts is imperative. The effort invested in learning to safeguard their money and data through technology is worthwhile and essential.
For the full version of the report, refer to the PDF below.