I mean, it's already practically impossible to keep up with communication from various sources as it is--from people we know and with whom we want to communicate. So, the seemingly never-ending interruptions of robocalls were enough to infuriate and baffle many of us.

Last December, definitely strides were made to curtail the onslaught of robocalls. Thankfully. The Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act (TRACED) was signed. That means there is more legal authority and tools which can be used to fight them.

But as you may have noticed, there's plenty more to be done. It's sad to think there are people who would use something as already distressing as COVID-19 to launch their diabolical plots and scams--but they have. There's been reports of people falling prey to pandemic-related scams. Also, in light of recent events and as this is an election year, we can be certain the attempts to spread misinformation will continue and amplify.

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There are groups out there working hard to fight back. One of those is the well-known consumer advocate group, Consumer Reports, who just a year ago encouraged over 200,000 people to sign a petition to send to the FCC. The goal is "to require phone companies to put verification technology in place that, among other things, curbs calls with spoofed caller ID numbers," according to their own publication.

There's legislation on the table in some states to "require phone companies to offer free call-blocking tools on request and to require prior consent from consumers for most non-emergency auto-dialed calls and texts to cell phones and landlines."

Other groups like the National Consumer Law Center and even the AARP are taking a stand, too. If you'd like to learn more about what you can do, the FCC has some immediate steps you can take here.

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