Page 24 - ARUBA TODAY

Friday 17 November 2017 TECHNOLOGY
A24

Phone companies get new tools to block spam calls

By TALI ARBEL ers.
AP Technology Writer The FCC has also sought
NEW YORK (AP) — ways to stop annoying
Phone companies will calls from dogging con-
have greater authority to sumers when they change
block unwanted calls from numbers.
reaching customers as reg- Today, if you sign up for
ulators adopted new rules Do Not Call but then get
to combat automated a new number, a marketer
messages known as robo- may not know and could
calls. pester you on your new
Rules adopted Thursday by line.
the Federal Communica- WHAT PHONE COMPANIES
tions Commission represent ARE DOING
the latest tools against ro- Phone companies, cell-
bocalls, which pester con- phone makers and inde-
sumers, sometimes multiple pendent apps can also
times each day, and often screen or block unwanted
push scams. calls by checking them
The agency, which regu- against databases of
lates the country’s phone, known problem numbers
broadcast TV and internet and analyzing suspicious
services, also hopes that behavior, like a number
recent big fines will help that’s calling lots of people
deter scammers. on Do Not Call lists.Some of
Phone companies can the carriers’ tools cost ex-
already block some calls tra, and they’re not avail-
that trick consumers by In this Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2017, file photo, Jen Vargas looks at a call log displayed via an AT&T app able for all phones and all
showing up on Caller ID on her cellphone at her home in Orlando, Fla. plans. Consumers Union
with fake numbers. Associated Press wants phone companies
The new rules make clear The federal and state “Do It’s estimated that Ameri- Spam callers have tricky to make call-blocking tools
that they can block addi- Not Call” lists are supposed cans receive tens of millions technology that alters available to all consumers
tional calls that are likely to protect people from un- of robocalls every day. Not what pops up on a phone’s for free.
scams, such as numbers wanted calls from telemar- all of them are fraudsters, caller ID to a local number, For home phones, apps
that start with a 911 area keters. of course. or one from an official or- including YouMail and No-
code, or one that isn’t cur- But scammers don’t care Pharmacies send auto- ganization, so you’re more morobo offer relief for free,
rently assigned to anyone. about breaking the law. mated messages about likely to pick up. but they have some limita-
The changes won’t stop Scammers reach people prescriptions being filled. HELP FROM THE GOVERN- tions.
robocalls completely, cheaply and easily using But too often, it’s this: you MENT You can also buy gad-
though experts say these autodialers, which spew owe the IRS money; it’s Mi- The steps the FCC took gets, some pretty clunky,
steps are a good start. out a large number of calls crosoft calling to fix your Thursday lets carriers crack that block calls on home
WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? automatically. computer; free cruises! down on these spoofed phones.
numbers. WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Robocallers and spammers
If successful, that would
Nebraska to build wind farm to make running a scam will still try to find ways to
their victims. But there are
more difficult and save U.S.
power Facebook data center consumers millions of dol- common-sense measures
for consumers to follow.
lars, a group of state at-
torneys general said in an — Don’t answer the phone
WAKEFIELD, Neb. (AP) — and landowners payments during the construction FCC filing. if you don’t recognize
Utility officials say a new in its first 20 years. phase and establish up to Experts have said these the number. (Yes, this is
wind farm being built in The Andover, Massachu- 16 full-time jobs. are solid developments, impractical on business
northeastern Nebraska will setts-based Enel Green Facebook’s data center, but won’t protect consum- phone lines.)
provide 200 megawatts of Power North America Inc. which will be located 100 ers from all unwanted calls. — Hang up on unwanted
power to a planned Face- is spending $430 million on miles away in Papillion, will Not every one of those is callers.
book data center. the project. The farm will receive 200 megawatts from a spoofed number. Don’t talk to them or press
The Rattlesnake Creek cover 32,000 acres and from the farm. The rest of Debt collectors and po- any buttons. If you engage
Wind Project will be built generate up to 320 mega- the power will be available litical campaigns are not with them, they might flag
between the towns of Allen, watts of power, making it for other buyers.McGrail covered under the Do Not you as someone who’s
Emerson and Wakefield, the second largest wind says the project will likely Call lists. responsive and inundate
the Sioux City Journal re- farm in the state. be operational at the end In the longer term, the FCC you with more calls. Block
ported . Demand for power The company has begun of 2018.The new version of supports industry efforts to the number after the call,
from Facebook helped res- surveying and pre-con- the project is a partnership verify that callers are re- if possible.
urrect the project that had struction work on the proj- between Facebook, Trade ally who they say they are. — Don’t give callers per-
been at a standstill since ect, but full construction Winds, Enel Green Power Perhaps one day, you’ll sonal information, like bank
2013 after its former own- won’t begin until the spring, North America Inc. and see a green checkmark account or Social Security
ers, Trade Winds, couldn’t said Mark McGrail, Enel’s the Omaha Public Power on your smartphone when numbers.
find buyers for the energy associate vice president of District to provide compa- the caller is legitimate. U.S. — Use call-blocking apps.
the farm. energy management. Tur- nies access to renewable Telecom, the phone-com- If you have privacy con-
More than 100 landowners bine delivery is expected to energy. Enel is a subsidiary pany lobby, has said that cerns, check the app’s
are involved in the project. begin in June, he said. of the multinational Enel rolling this out could take a policy to see if it’s sharing
The wind farm will distribute The project is expected to Group, which is headquar- few years, but would prove your call or contacts data
$80 million in property tax employ about 300 people tered in Italy.q powerful against robocall- with marketers.q