Folks in the San Antonio area are now facing a new scam by robocallers who are desperate to get you to answer your phone, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
Will Willquist of the FCC tells News Radio 1200 WOAI new 'spoofing' technology allows robocallers to make it appear on the screen of your smart phone that the call you're getting is from a number that you are far more likely to answer, like a '210' area code number or a number that has the same exchange number as your phone.
He says the newest technology even allows robocallers to put messages on your screen when your phone rings like 'POLICE' or 'I-R-S' or 'DOCTOR'S OFFICE,' with the idea that you are far more likely to pick up the phone if you see that, than if you see a strange number with a New York or Michigan area code.
"The idea is, they want to have the called i-d look like a number that you are more likely as a consumer to pick up," he said.
Willquist says there are some things you can do to protect yourself if you see a message like that.
"If it is somebody calling who is pretending to be from a utility or someplace else, the best thing to do is to call them back on their legitimate phone number," he said.
Willquist says unless a robocaller can get you to answer the phone, you won't be able to hear their pitch, so, just like with junk mail that is fashioned to look like a check or an IRS notice, the holy grail is to get your attention.
IMAGE; GETTY