Security News > 2020 > December > Phone scammers were able to get 270% more personal information in 2020 than in 2019
The COVID-19 crisis enabled scammers to take advantage of the guileless, as bad actors were able to extract personal information from targets, according to a new report from First Orion.
First Orion's Annual Phone Scam Call Report exposed how scammers were able to get 270% more personal information in 2020 than they did in 2019.
First Orion reported that of the 18% of consumers in 2020 who suffered financial loss as the result of a scam phone call, 17% reported the call "Was related to COVID-19.".
The report stated, "Carriers that implement call protection and robocall mitigation solutions empower their customers to make informed decisions as to whether or not they answer their phone. While enhanced business calling with 'Branded Phone Calls' means consumers will know which calls are legitimate, including who is calling and why. This twofold approach will lead to greater reassurance, loyalty, and trust from consumers."
Just not answering your phone once isn't enough to deter them; 18% of consumers reported getting more than three scam calls daily.