Indiana Officials Say Do Not Call List Can’t Protect From Scams

Indiana officials say the vast majority of unwanted telephone calls reported by Hoosiers are scams.

And officials say that’s the problem with the state’s Do Not Call list – it wasn’t designed to prevent scams.

Indiana Deputy Attorney General Marguerite Sweeney says at least 70 percent of unwanted phone call complaints are about scams. And that’s in part why the Do Not Call list won’t stop them.

“Scammers are criminals; they don’t care about the list,” Sweeney says. “If you continue to get calls when you’re on the list, you know that the calls you’re getting are more likely to be scams.”

Sweeney says technology has made it easier to “spoof” calls by making them seem like they’re coming from somewhere they’re not. That’s partly why prosecutors can’t do much about it.

“Even if they had the resources, they lack the jurisdiction if the robocallers are not in the United States,” Sweeney says.

Hoosiers reported nearly 4,000 unwanted phone calls so far this year.