Scammers Are Targeting The 585 Area Code. Here's Why. - WHAM

CloseDownload the AppGet your news faster with our mobile experienceInstallNewsNewsErnie Clement attends Bills practice, receives praise from Sean McDermott Brighton native Ernie Clement was a huge Bills fan growing up, and the Blue Jays' star infielder recently got the chance to meet some members of the team.New food pantry opens at Newark Public LibraryThere's a new effort to combat food insecurity in Wayne County.Bright Spot: A local volunteer’s mission to help shelter dogs find forever homesPerinton, N.Y. — Our Bright Spot shines on one local volunteer who is proving that a little time and a lot of walking can go a long way towards helping shelter Local slopes host critical competition for Team USA World Cup and Olympic hopefulsCanandaigua, N.Y. — High-flying fun took over the slopes at Bristol Mountain Monday night as the U.S. Selections Freestyle Aerials contest took place in our bacLocalElection ResultsElectionNation & WorldGood Day & ARC RochesterSound Stage TrafficOffbeatEntertainmentCrime StoppersConnect to CongressArmstrong Army StrongAmazing AmericaQuestion of the DaySpotlight on AmericaFull Measure with Sharyl AttkissonCrisis in the ClassroomWeatherCurrent WeatherRochesterCloudy/Wind40F34/31Today34/31Wednesday34/27Thursday36/16Latest WeathercastLatest WeathercastSchool Visit RequestRadarMapsClosingsSubmit a ClosingSki ReportWeather TalkSchool PicturesMini MeteorologistBuffalo PlusBuffalo PlusErnie Clement attends Bills practice, receives praise from Sean McDermott Brighton native Ernie Clement was a huge Bills fan growing up, and the Blue Jays' star infielder recently got the chance to meet some members of the team.Bills, Jaguars, Chargers clinch playoff berths after Colts lose 5th straight gameThe Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars and Los Angeles Chargers qualified for the AFC playoffs with the Indianapolis Colts' 48-27 loss to the San Francisco 49eCook's 117-yard, 2-TD performance helps Bills in 23-20 win over BrownsCLEVELAND (AP) — James Cook rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns, Josh Allen played through a foot injury and the Buffalo Bills drew closer to a playoff bertAdd expectant father to Allen's achievements in Buffalo, as Steinfeld announces pregnancyMarriage, fatherhood and an NFL MVP honor were the furthest things on Josh Allen’s mind when he arrived in Buffalo as a raw but promising quarterback prospect.Bills Latest NewsHealth MattersHealth MattersRochester General Hospital recognized for quality of maternity careRochester, N.Y. — Rochester General Hospital is celebrating a new honor.Flu cases surge in Monroe County as new strain emergesHealth leaders in Monroe County are raising concerns about a potentially tougher flu season in Western New York, as a new strain called subclade K circulates.CDC website changed to contradict scientific conclusion that vaccines don't cause autismNEW YORK (AP) — A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website has been changed to contradict the longtime scientific conclusion that vaccines do not causRochester Regional Health launches free genetic screening program Rochester Regional Health is now offering a new genetic screening program and research tool, GenoWell, that shows how your DNA impacts participants' health.Game CenterGame CenterDaily CrosswordGuess WordJewel BlockMicro CrosswordClassic SudokuWord SearchSafe DrivingWatchLive

Now

40°

Wed

34°

Thu

37°

SearchSearchUser IconWatchSearch

• NewsDown Arrow
  • Local
  • Election Results
  • Election
  • Nation & World
  • Good Day & ARC Rochester
  • Sound Stage
  • Traffic
  • Offbeat
  • Entertainment
  • Crime Stoppers
  • Connect to Congress
  • Armstrong Army Strong
  • Amazing America
  • Question of the Day
  • Spotlight on America
  • Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson
  • Crisis in the Classroom
• WeatherDown Arrow
  • Weather Home
  • School Visit Request
  • Radar
  • Maps
  • Closings
  • Submit a Closing
  • Ski Report
  • Weather Talk
  • School Pictures
  • Mini Meteorologist
• Buffalo PlusDown Arrow
  • Buffalo Plus Home
  • Bills Latest News
• Health Matters
• Game CenterDown Arrow
  • Game Center Home
  • Daily Crossword
  • Guess Word
  • Jewel Block
  • Micro Crossword
  • Classic Sudoku
  • Word Search
  • Safe Driving
• MoneyDown Arrow
  • Money Home
  • Deposits
  • Investing
  • Mortgages
  • Loans
  • Credit Cards
• Chime In
• SportsDown Arrow
  • Sports Home
  • Colleges
  • Pickin’ Splinters
  • HS Sports Report
  • HS Play of the Week
  • Bills
  • Sabres
  • Red Wings
  • Amerks
  • Knighthawks
  • Orange
  • TICKETS
  • City Guide
• CommunityDown Arrow
  • Community Home
  • Good Day Rochester
  • Bright Spot
  • Your Photos
  • Pirate Toy Fund
  • Golisano Children's Hospital
  • Sinclair Cares
  • Jazz Lounge
  • Cheapest Gas
  • Furry Fan Page
  • Community Connection
  • Partner Spotlight
  • For Pet's Sake
  • Hire Me Rochester
  • Smart Living
  • Flower City Fare
  • From the Ground Up
• StationDown Arrow
  • Station Home
  • Contact
  • News Team
  • Careers
  • Advertise With Us
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Contests
  • Schedule
  • FOX Rochester
  • CW Rochester
  • Newsletter Sign Up
• Videos
• Newsletter Sign Up
• LegalDown Arrow
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Copyright Notices
  • Privacy & Cookie Policy
  • FCC Info
  • FCC Applications
  • Contact
  • Public File Assistance
  • News Team
  • Contests
  • Diversity & Inclusion

• facebook icon
• twitter icon

ACCESSIBILITY

Scammers are targeting the 585 area code. Here's why.

by Jane Flasch

Mon, November 12, 2018 at 12:27 PMUpdated Thu, November 15, 2018 at 7:38 AM(SBG file photo)Comment on this story0CommentShare storyShare

topics:

• Caller ID
• Caller ID Spoofing
• Do Not Call List
• Human behavior
• Marketing
• Robocall
• Spamming
• Telemarketing

Rochester, N.Y. (WHAM) - Think you're receiving a lot of spam and scam calls? You're right.

A 13WHAM investigation found that Monroe County's 585 area code is among the most targeted in the country. There are two reasons "Do Not Call" registries are not doing an effective job. For starters, no one has been in charge of investigating complaints about these calls here in New York State for over a year.

"This is my sole lifeline," said Bryan Maslin, a small business owner, while holding up his cell phone. "I don't want to be interrupted constantly."

The owner of Maslin Productions estimated he receives four to eight spam or scam calls every day. He picks up the phone because the numbers often spoof the 585 area code and he doesn't want to lose potential customers. He said the calls are annoying - and sometimes worse.

One recent call turned threatening.

"You will be taken into custody by the local cops. Contact us immediately," said the message left on his voicemail.

"It's predatory, and I wish that I could find a way to stop it," Maslin said.

More than 15 million spam and scam calls were placed to numbers in the 585 area code in the month of September alone. That's 32 calls per person per month. The U.S. average is 20.

"It means on an average day, your viewers are getting at least one. You have some viewers getting eight to ten a day," said Ethan Garr, Chief Product Officer of Robokiller - a company that researches these calls and has developed technology to intercept them.

"I'm on the New York State 'Do Not Call' registry and the national registry, and it doesn't seem to do any good," said Maslin.

13WHAM News has learned complaints to the state's registry more than doubled over a three-year period to roughly 450,000 complaints. Yet last year, the agency in charge of investigating the complaints referred just one of those complaints for prosecution.

An audit of the agency suggests a reason for the lack of response. Two key positions have been vacant, meaning no one has been in charge of the agency for 18 months and the attorney who refers the cases for prosecution went unfilled for a year.

"Frustrating is a good word," said Maslin after learning these details. "They absolutely need to enforce the registry more than they're doing now."

"Protecting all New Yorkers is the Division's number one priority, and we've already made improvements including hiring a seasonal telemarketing professional to oversee Do Not Call operations,"the Department of State said in a statement to 13WHAM News.

This brings up the second reason so many calls are getting through. State and federal registries are set up to curtail legitimate telemarketers, but those already operating illegally ignore the rules. They avoid detection by operating overseas and constantly changing or manipulating caller ID numbers.

According to Garr, these calls generate $9.5 billion a year in revenue.

"These guys aren't trying to follow a law or honor a list that the government puts out there," he said. "That's their goal: To reach into your pocket, steal your money and identity, then reach out to the next person to do the same."

For now, the Federal Communications Commission recommends to let all calls go to voicemail so the caller will eventually move on. "If you're tricked into answering the phone call, you can become a bigger target for more robocalls," said FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai.

The top position for investigating 'Do Not Call' complaints in New York was filled earlier this year.

A 13WHAM News report on Thursday at 6:00 p.m. will focus on a new app that lets you turn the tables on the scammers and annoy them for a change.

Trending

Governor Hochul signs laws regulating kratom sales to protect public healthGov. Kathy Hochul has signed two bipartisan pieces of legislation aimed at safeguarding public health by regulating the sale of kratom products.Bartender charged in 2024 alcohol-related death of teen in VictorA man faces charges in connection with a teen's death in Ontario County last year.Snowblower thieves lead officers on pursuit that ends in crash, Greece police sayTwo men have been charged with grand larceny for stealing several snowblowers from a store, according to the Greece Police Department.Man pleads guilty to murder for shooting that killed two men at Rochester homeRochester, N.Y. — A man is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to murder for a fatal shooting on the city's west side.Driver rescued after car goes into Webster pondA driver mistakenly went into a pond Tuesday at the Towne Center at Webster off Holt Road, according to Lt. Kevin Johnson of the Webster Police Department.

NEWS IN PHOTOS:

"Local"5Bright Spot: A local volunteer’s mission to help shelter dogs find forever homes7Local slopes host critical competition for Team USA World Cup and Olympic hopefuls11Doctor details heroic efforts to save officers, civilian wounded in Rochester shootout8Driver rescued after car goes into Webster pond