National Robocall Volumes Break Records in February
National Robocall Volumes Break Records in February
98.1 Million Calls Per Day Is Record High Since Start of YouMail Robocall Index
IRVINE, Calif., March 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- American phones were overwhelmed by some 2.75 billion robocalls in February, a 24% increase over February of last year. This equaled an average of 98.1 million robocalls per day, setting a new daily record for robocall volumes since the YouMail Robocall Index was launched in 2015. This total works out 1,136 robocalls placed every second in February.
These latest figures come from YouMail, a free solution for both mobile phones and landlines that helps consumers stop robocalls from ever reaching their phones.
The YouMail Robocall Index(TM) is a compilation of the scope and location of the worst robocalling hotspots across the country by area code, and these statistics are regularly cited by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as a definitive source for national data trends. YouMail blocks unwanted robocallers by making sure the user's phone doesn't ring and then plays an out-of-service message that leads them to think that the number they dialed is invalid.
"We know the robocalling problem continues to bedevil U.S. consumers and businesses by wasting our time, costing us money and causing untold levels of frustration for Americans in all walks of life," said Alex Quilici, CEO of YouMail. "We are warning folks to download a robocall blocker and to not pick up any calls from numbers they do not recognize, and instead allow them to go directly into voicemail."
Locations Receiving the Most Robocalls: Lowlights from February
Atlanta topped the YouMail Top 50 Most Robocalled Cities in America list for the 27(th) straight month, with area residents receiving 119.5 million robocalls in February. Atlanta was followed in the city rankings by #2 New York City, #3 Dallas, #4 Chicago and #5 Los Angeles.
Atlanta area code 404 also topped the national area code list with 54,708,600 calls received, while Atlanta area code 678 ranked #4 with 36,482,400 calls received. Other area codes on the Top 5 list included Houston area code 832 (43,823,400 calls); Dallas area code 214 (41,874,800 calls); and New York area code 917 (33,029,700 calls).
Texas and Georgia both achieved a dubious distinction by placing four area codes each in the 20 Most Called Area Codes list for February. These numbers included area codes 832, 214, 817 and 210 in Texas, and area codes 404, 678, 770 and 706 in Georgia.
One new city cracked the Top 50 Most Robocalled Cities list in February as West Palm Beach, FL, reached #46 with 18,539,800 calls received, knocking Pittsburgh off the monthly list. The other biggest "movers" on the February list included #21 Las Vegas, #22 Denver, and #34 Alexandria, VA, which each jumped up six spots in the rankings.
Smaller cities with the largest local increases in robocalls received during February included Lincoln, NE (up 25.9%); Sharpsburg, KY (up 18.0%); St. Cloud, MN (up 17.5%); Sarasota, FL (up 15.0%); and Hutchinson, KS (up 14.9%).
Texas surpassed California as the state bombed by the most robocalls in the month, with 308.4 million robocalls received compared to 304.3 million for California. Other states notching monthly gains in the short month of February included Minnesota (up 7.0%); Nevada (up 2.8%); and Nebraska (up 2.8%).
Locations Making the Most Robocalls: Lowlights from February
Chicago unseated Dallas as the Most Prolific Robocalling City by far with 95,260,400 calls placed in February, compared to 75,103,500 calls placed by Dallas. Other cities making the Top 5 List included Los Angeles (74,168,200 calls made); Atlanta (64,161,000); and New York (55,480,700).
Southfield, MI, was the city with the biggest increase in outbound robocalls, rising a whopping 956% in February to 4.36 million calls that were attributed mainly to two numbers, both believed to be related to a debt-collection scam.
Other cities that saw big increases in outbound robocalls included Sioux Falls, SD (up 117.7%); Fargo, ND (up 112.1%); Conroe, TX (up 94.0%); and Macon, GA (up 93.2%).
California ranked as the state making the most calls in February, with 212.1 million calls made, a 2.3% increase over January. Other states producing the most robocalls in February included Texas (200.8 million); Florida (174.6 million); New York (116.4 million); and Illinois (101.6 million).
The Dakotas were the biggest percentage gainers in terms of states making robocalls. South Dakota posted the biggest percentage increase of any state, rising 117.7% over January, followed by North Dakota (up 112.1%). Other states making large increases included Rhode Island (up 30.0%); Wyoming (up 29.5%); and Illinois (up 26.6%).
The 614 area code in Columbus, OH, ranked as the most prolific robocalling area code in the U.S. for the third straight month, with 42.3 million calls generated.
Five Texas area codes made the list of the 20 Most Prolific Robocalling area codes in February, including area codes 210, 972, 469, 832 and 214. Three Florida area codes making the list included 404, 954 and 904.
For more information about the YouMail Robocall Index or to view the latest report, please visit http://robocallindex.com. To join the YouMail Robocall Index mailing list, please write to RobocallIndex@YouMail.com.
About YouMail, Inc.
YouMail, Inc. is the leading provider of intelligent, cloud-based telecommunication services. The company's flagship service provides an automated virtual receptionist that replaces the subscriber's voicemail on iPhone, Android, and Windows phones. This service stops robocalls, and delights other callers by instantly greeting, routing, and responding to them, personally and memorably, and even provides free conference calls YouMail also provides data on problematic phone number behavior, through a reverse phone lookup service that allows anyone to identify and comment on suspicious numbers, an application program interface (API) that any telecom service provider or third-party developer can use to determine whether a number is problematic, and the YouMail Robocall Index(TM), which since its launch in in September 2015 has emerged as the nation's definitive source on robocalling data for telecom carriers, smartphone and app companies, and public policymakers. Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., YouMail, Inc. was founded in 2007 and is privately funded.
Contact:
Keya Balar for YouMail
Lumina Communications
YouMailPR@luminapr.com
646-791-9600
View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-robocall-volumes-break-records-in-february-300609908.html
SOURCE YouMail, Inc.
