LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) — Scammers are blanketing the area with robocalls.

Experts say some robocalls display on the Caller ID as ‘Unknown Caller,’ while others mimic the area code. 

Jillian Dickerson, with the Better Business Bureau of Acadiana, said, “We’re getting a lot of reports coming about an uptick in phone calls that are automated, and scammers are impersonating Amazon representatives so it’s really not Amazon that’s calling you from these unsolicited phone numbers. With technology, the numbers are always changing so it might look like a normal area code number or a number that you recognize and it’s really a spoof call.”

With today’s technology, spoofing phone numbers is easy to accomplish. 

“With technology now, you can put in a phone call like you could be calling from China or Nebraska and it’s going to show a 337-area code and it’s just a software that scammers use to try to get as close as possible and to seem as real as possible,” explained Dickerson. 

Regardless of the message, these scammers have the same goal: getting your personal information. 

“They’re really pressuring with a sense of urgency that you owe Amazon money or that you’re going to be out of money if you don’t respond as quickly. Anytime there’s that sense of urgency, Amazon is going to contact you through your app or by an official email and not pick up the phone and call you in this case,” added Dickerson. “If someone says something through a robotic voice as if they’re with Amazon, they’re not. Go ahead and hang up the phone. If they’re asking for your personal information, please do not share it. Protect yourself and your loved ones and your finances.”

According to the Better Business Bureau, here’s what to do if you get these calls:

  • Hang up. 
  • If prompted, do not press 1 to speak with customer support. 
  • Do not call a phone number they gave you. 
  • Do not give out your personal information. 
  • Do not press any button claiming they will remove your number from their list. 

For more on Eye on Scams, download our Eye on Scams podcast on 10 Talks Acadiana. It’s available anywhere you listen to podcasts. 

If you have a scam you’d like Sylvia Masters to investigate, send an email to smasters@klfy.com.