(NAPSI)—When your phone rings—don’t answer it. At least, not unless you’ve a good idea of who’s calling. After all, your phone is like your house. You deserve to know whom to let in. Especially now. September, Hispanic Heritage Month, and all through the year, Latinos and others can be subject to calls from criminals looking to take your money and confuse your vote. The Problem Studies suggest the Hispanic community is disproportionately targeted with misinformation, particularly through phone scams and fraudulent communications. So it’s more important than ever to empower Latino communities with the tools they need to protect themselves and their voices, especially during Hispanic Heritage Month. Celebrated every September, this celebration of Hispanic culture, achievements, and contributions, is also a good time to reflect on the challenges that lie ahead, particularly as America moves into a critical election period. The Numbers According to the latest Truecaller/Harris Poll Scam Report for 2024, Hispanics are twice as likely as non-Hispanics to lose money to phone scams, with 30% of Hispanics reporting financial losses compared to 15% of non-Hispanics. Additionally, Hispanics experience mobile phone scams at a rate more than double that of non-Hispanics (23% vs. 11%), indicating a targeted approach by scammers. Misinformation during election cycles often comes in the form of robocalls and text messages that spread false narratives or provide misleading voting information. The report shows that Hispanics are three times more likely than non-Hispanics to lose money to scams originating from robocalls (16% vs. 5%). This highlights the urgent need for tools that can protect this community from both financial scams and the spread of election-related disinformation. Different Scams For Different People Political sensitivities within Hispanic communities also vary significantly based on country of origin, making people particularly vulnerable to targeted misinformation. For example: •Mexican Americans: Often targeted with misinformation around immigration policies and healthcare access. •Puerto Ricans: Susceptible to disinformation related to statehood debates, disaster recovery efforts, and federal aid. •Cuban Americans: Frequently exposed to political messaging around U.S.-Cuba relations, socialism, and foreign policy. • Central American and South American immigrants: Targeted with misinformation around asylum policies, refugee status, and crime rates. An Answer Fortunately, the world’s leading spam-blocking app is well-positioned to address this issue. With its advanced spam detection and caller identification features, Truecaller can help shield the Hispanic community from these targeted attacks. The app’s ability to block robocalls and identify fraudulent numbers can prevent misinformation from reaching vulnerable voters across different Hispanic subgroups. In July alone the app saved Californians 5 million hours, Floridians 5.8 million hours and Texans a staggering 9.5 million hours from spam and scam calls. With each call averaging between three and four minutes, this time saved is crucial as the country prepares for the upcoming election season, where protecting residents from misleading information is more important than ever. It’s a simple, free app for a simple way to communicate. You can use the settings to cater your communication experience how you want it and the app will identify the names of incoming calls or SMS without you having to do anything. You can not only identify who is calling you or block spam calls, you get a detailed call log with unknown numbers identified. Special Promotion Discover Truecaller’s annual premium plan, featuring AI Call Scanner, Personal Assistant, Call Recording and more. Enjoy an exclusive 25% discount on the premium plan once you download the app, available until the end of September—click HERE to claim the offer! Learn More For further facts, visit www.truecaller.com. Word Count: 569
Save Yourself From Spam and Scams
Sep 17, 2024 | 3:38 PM
