Malicious Robocalls Targeted By New Ohio Initiative

COLUMBUS, OH — Ohio officials are launching a new tool to stop malicious robocalls. More than 2.2 billion robocalls were made to Ohioans in 2019 alone, according to YouMail, a service which tracks robocalls.

The new Robocall Enforcement Unit will give Ohioans a new way to report robocalls and take action against the companies sending out the onslaught of calls. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said the public's participation in the initiative will determine its success.

“Ohioans are tired of playing defense against annoying robocalls,” Yost said. “Now it’s Ohio’s turn to play offense – and we need your help.”

To report robocalls, Ohioans should text “ROBO” to 888111. Residents will then be asked to fill out a short survey (it takes less than 1 minute to complete). Ohioans can also file complaints online by going to OhioProtects.org or calling 1-800-282-0515.

The Robocall Enforcement Unit is made up of lawyers and investigators, some of whom are already taking legal action against companies making robocalls. The group will try to identify trends and protect Ohioans.

Yost also offered the following tips to avoid being ripped off by robocalls:

• Do not interact with robocallers in any way
• Put your phone number on the Do Not Call registry
• Research robocall-related services offered by your phone provider
• Install an app on your cellphone to block robocalls

Nationally, according to YouMail, about 47 percent of robocalls were scam calls, according to the report. The rest were legitimate — 11 percent were telemarketers, 20 percent were payment reminders, and 22 percent were alerts and other reminders.