Hang up on robocalls.

If you answer the phone and hear a recorded message instead of a live person, it's a robocall. Technology has made it cheap and easy for scammers to make illegal calls from anywhere in the world, and to hide from law enforcement by displaying fake caller ID information. The robovoice may claim to be a utility, a government agency, or even a foreign consulate. Don’t believe them. Imposter scams often come by illegal robocall. Here are some steps you can take.

• Hang up on illegal robocalls. It’s not rude to hang up on a recording.
• Consider protecting yourself with technology like a call blocking app or device. You also can ask your phone provider if it has call-blocking tools. To learn more, go to ftc.gov/calls.
• Report the call. Report illegal robocalls at ftc.gov/complaint. The more we hear from you, the more we can help fight scams.