Almost 3.9 Billion Robocalls in December Mark Roughly 2% Monthly Decrease, Says YouMail Robocall Index
2020 Yearly Robocall Volume of 45.9 Billion Calls Lowest Since 2017
IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 6, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Americans received just under 3.9 billion robocalls in December, a decrease of approximately 2% over November. In December, robocalls averaged 124.8 million calls/day, or roughly 1,445 calls/second, down 2% from 127.0 million calls/day and 1,470 calls/second in November. There were just over 45.9 billion robocalls for the full year, down 21% from the almost 58.5 billion robocalls last year, and even 4% below 2018's total of 47.8 billion robocalls.
These latest monthly figures come from YouMail, a totally free robocall blocking app and call protection service for mobile phones.
"Robocall volumes have reduced dramatically this year, with 8 out of the 12 months below 4 billion robocalls," said YouMail CEO Alex Quilici. "While it's taken a pandemic to reduce volumes materially, at least the public is dealing with substantially fewer robocalls this year than last."
December Saw Another Decline in Scam Calls
In December, scam and telemarketing calls combined accounted for roughly 60% of the month's total robocall volume. The good news is that scam calls were down another 5% in December, after a 15% decline in November.
Type of Robocall |
Estimated December Robocalls |
Percentage December |
Scams |
1.7 billion (-5%). |
44% (-3%) |
Alerts and Reminders |
1.0 billion (+3%) |
26% (+1%) |
Payment Reminders |
.58 billion (+8%) |
15% (+1%) |
Telemarketing |
.56 billion (+12%) |
15% (+1%) |
Top Illegal Robocalls in December 2020
December had only two scam categories with over 100 million robocalls for the month: Car Warranty Scams and Health-Related Scams, with a big increase in Warranty Scams during December. Government Imposter Scams decreased in volume significantly, falling to less than 70 million scam calls in December.
Rank |
Type of Scam |
Estimated December Robocalls |
Summary of Scam |
1 |
Warranty Scams |
265 million |
Scam payments/illegal solicitations |
2 |
Health-Related Scams |
212 million |
Identify theft/scam payments/illegal solicitations |
"Winners" in December 2020
The cities, area codes and states with the highest volumes of robocalls in December were similar to what we've seen over the past few months. Interestingly, even with the slowdown in robocalls, there were still four states with over 21 robocalls/person in the month: South Carolina (22.2), Alabama (21.1), Louisiana (21.7), and Georgia (21.4).
City with the Most Robocalls: |
Atlanta, GA (167.1 million, +8%) |
City with the Most Robocalls/Person: |
Macon, GA (33.5/person, +11%) |
Area Code with the Most Robocalls: |
404 in Atlanta, GA (70.8 million, +8%) |
Area Code with the Most Robocalls/Person: |
404 in Atlanta, GA (57.9/person, +8%) |
State with the Most Robocalls: |
Texas (454.6 million, +1%) |
State with the Most Robocalls/Person: |
South Carolina (22.2, +0%) |
These data are provided by YouMail, a free call protection app for mobile phones. YouMail recently won the American Business Awards' Gold Stevie Award for Technical Innovation of the Year, and the YouMail app was named the nation's best robocall-blocking solution in a competition organized by Geoffrey Fowler of the Washington Post.
YouMail blocks unwanted robocallers by making sure the user's phone doesn't ring, and then plays an out-of-service message that leads them to think they dialed an invalid number. YouMail identifies problematic numbers and robocalls using a combination of its recently patented audio fingerprinting technology, call patterns, and consumer feedback.
YouMail provides the YouMail Robocall Index to estimate robocall volume across the country and for specific area codes every month. This estimate is formed by extrapolating from the behavior of the billions of calls YouMail has handled for its users, and these statistics are regularly cited by the FCC as a definitive source for national data trends.
For a full ranking of cities, states and area codes, as well as details on the behavior of robocallers in each area code, please see http://robocallindex.com. To listen to actual voice messages left by robocallers, please visit the YouMail Directory. To join the YouMail Robocall Index mailing list, please write to [email protected].
About YouMail, Inc.
YouMail, Inc. provides security-first, cloud-based communication services for mobile phones. YouMail's free app-based service uses sophisticated, patented technology to block robocalls and phishing messages, protecting users from spam, identity theft, stalkers, and corporate fraud. Our premium call management services provide virtual receptionist and virtual number services, and they are designed for people who use their mobile phone for business. These services help them unify virtual numbers with their cell number, handle high volumes of mobile calls, and provide personalized answering experiences for their callers. YouMail's communications platform handles over a billion calls per year for over 10 million users, and our users range from everyday consumers to sole proprietors to the CEOs of the largest companies in America. The YouMail Robocall Index™, since its launch in in September 2015, has emerged as the nation's definitive source on robocalling data for telecom carriers, smartphone and app companies, and public policymakers. YouMail, Inc. is privately funded and based in Irvine, California.
Contact:
Rohan Notaney for YouMail
Lumina Communications
[email protected]
650-814-9651
SOURCE YouMail Inc.
Share this article