This Women's History Month, Truecaller Empowers Latinas to Learn How to Protect Themselves from Spam and Harassing Phone Calls

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WASHINGTON, March 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Truecaller, the leading global platform for verifying contacts and blocking unwanted communication, is empowering Latinas this Women's History Month by providing tips on how to keep safe from scam and harassing phone calls. Truecaller researched the impact of harassment calls for women around the world in their study Truecaller Insights: The Impact of Harassment Calls & SMS for Women and is now bringing the message to Latinas in the U.S. who are more likely to say they experienced harassment than non-Hispanics. ^[1] In addition, research shows that the number of scam calls for Latinos is severely under reported. ^[2] This Women's History Month, Truecaller is offering women practical tips on how to be more informed on phone scams and take measures to protect themselves and their families.

"Blocking phone numbers is one of the top actions women can take to stop harassment calls," says Clayton LiaBraaten, Senior Advisor at Truecaller. "The calls from perpetrators can range from a nuisance to downright harassment. Especially during this important month where we celebrate women and their contributions, we want to make sure Latinas in the U.S. are aware they have options and resources to help protect themselves from falling victim to these sophisticated phone schemes."

This Women's History Month, women can take practical steps to protect themselves.

Tips on how Hispanics can protect themselves:

• Be vigilant. For your mobile devices – download a free caller ID and spam blocking app like Truecaller from the iOS app store or Google Play store. By identifying inbound calls and texts with names, businesses, or spam indicators, you can have peace of mind and reclaim your phone. The database is updated continuously and works against vishing (voice phishing) and smishing (SMS phishing).
• Think twice before picking up any call from an unknown area code. If it is important, they will leave a voicemail. If they do leave a voicemail, don't call back until you can confirm it belongs to a legitimate business or person. You can confirm this via the Truecaller website or on the businesses' website.
• Similarly, if you see questionable text from customer service or a package shipping tracker, don't click on embedded links. Take a screenshot for reporting purposes and forward a copy of the message to (7726). You should then report it to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
• If you feel you have been defrauded, start by contacting your state's Consumer Protection Office. Do not delete your call log as you may need this for evidence.
• You can be proactive about protecting yourself by contacting your carrier about their tools to mitigate spam. The FCC created STIR/SHAKEN, a framework of protocols and procedures intended to combat robocallers and scams, which all carriers should have implemented.
• Sign up for the FTC's 'Do Not Call' list and report unwanted calls here.
• Not all robocalls are fraudulent. Caller ID and spam blocking apps can ensure that important, legitimate calls and messages from healthcare appointments, pharmacies, schools districts, travel and hospitality and financial services get through.

For more information, visit truecaller.com or download the app through Google Play® for Android® devices and through Apple's® App Store® for iOS devices.

About Truecaller:
People use Truecaller to stay ahead. It helps them know who's getting in touch, filter out unwanted calls and SMS, and focus on what really matters. The company provides a suite of unique services such as a dialer that offers caller ID, spam detection, messaging and more. Truecaller's mission is to build trust everywhere by making communication safe and efficient. Headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, the company was founded in 2009 by Alan Mamedi and Nami Zarringhalam. Investors include Sequoia Capital, Atomico and Kleiner Perkins.

Contact:
Ana Gomez
UMG Media
[email protected]

¹ Survey from advocacy group Stop Street Harassment

² First nationwide study of scams targeting immigrants shows local social context may help or hinder reporting

SOURCE Truecaller