3 Billion Robocalls in May Mark 3% Monthly Increase, Says YouMail Robocall Index

Coronavirus Effects Continue To Dramatically Slow The Number Of Robocalls

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Jun 04, 2020, 09:00 ET

IRVINE, Calif., June 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Americans received just under 3.0 billion robocalls in May, a 3% increase from April. However, the number of calls per day in May was almost identical to the number of calls per day in April, again averaging just over 95 million calls per day, or roughly 1,104 calls per second. This means the slight increase was simply due to one more day in the month of May versus April. The calls are still 48% below the all-time monthly peak of 5.7 billion calls in October 2019.

These latest monthly figures come from YouMail, a totally free robocall blocking app for mobile phones.

"May's continuing steady volume of robocalls shows that COVID-19 continues to stem the tide of robocalls," said YouMail CEO Alex Quilici. "However, we fully expect robocalls to increase in line with decreasing lockdowns and an improving economy."

May Saw Increases in Payment Reminders and Telemarketing Robocalls

May was relatively stable compared with April. The major changes saw Payment Reminders up 11%, and Telemarketing Calls up 13%. The decline in Alerts and Reminders was likely due to less need for alerts and reminders about the lockdown than when they were first invoked in March. The declines in other categories likely continue to be due to the unavailability of depleted call centers to handle people who return calls or "press 1" when called.

Type of Robocall	Estimated May Robocalls	Percentage May Robocalls
Scams	1.3 billion (flat)	43% (-2%)
Alerts and Reminders	.83 billion (+3%)	28%
Payment Reminders	.49 billion (+11%)	17% (+1%)
Telemarketing	.36 billion (+13%)	12% (+1%)

Top Illegal Robocalls in May 2020

May was similar to April by registering the same two types of illegal calls that exceeded 100 million calls for the month: Health-Related Scams and Car Warranty Scams.

Rank	Type of Scam	Estimated May Robocalls	Summary of Scam
1	Health-Related Scams	245.0 million	Identity theft/scam payments/illegal solicitations
2	Warranty Scams	149.5 million	Scam payments

"Winners" in May 2020

The cities, area codes and states with the highest volumes of robocalls in May were similar to past months, and most places had slight increases in volume. After South Carolina emerged for a single month as the state with the most robocalls per person, that crown has returned to Louisiana for the first time.

City with the Most Robocalls:	Atlanta, GA (129.1 million, +7%)
City with the Most Robocalls/Person:	Washington, DC (27/person, -1%)
Area Code with the Most Robocalls:	404 in Atlanta, GA (52.5 million, +8%)
Area Code with the Most Robocalls/Person:	404 in Atlanta, GA (42.9/person, +8%)
State with the Most Robocalls:	Texas (345m million, +5%)
State with the Most Robocalls/Person:	Louisiana (17.1/person, +4%)

These data are provided by YouMail, a free call protection app for mobile phones. YouMail recently won the American Business Awards' Gold Stevie Award for Technical Innovation of the Year, and the YouMail app was named the nation's best robocall-blocking solution in a competition organized by Geoffrey Fowler of the Washington Post.

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 they dialed an invalid number. YouMail identifies problematic numbers and robocalls using a combination of its recently patented audio fingerprinting technology, call patterns, and consumer feedback.

YouMail provides the YouMail Robocall Index to estimate robocall volume across the country and for specific area codes every month. This estimate is formed by extrapolating from the behavior of the billions of calls YouMail has handled for its users, and these statistics are regularly cited by the FCC as a definitive source for national data trends.

For a full ranking of cities, states and area codes, as well as details on the behavior of robocallers in each area code, please see http://robocallindex.com. To listen to actual voice messages left by robocallers, please visit the YouMail Directory. To join the YouMail Robocall Index mailing list, please write to [email protected].

About YouMail, Inc.

YouMail, Inc. provides security-first, cloud-based communication services for mobile phones. Our free app-based service uses sophisticated, patented technology to block robocalls and phishing messages, protecting users from spam, identify theft, stalkers, and corporate fraud. Our premium call management services provide virtual receptionist and virtual number services, and they are designed for people who use their mobile phone for business. These services help them unify virtual numbers with their cell number, handle high volumes of mobile calls, and provide personalized answering experiences for their callers. YouMail's communications platform handles over a billion calls per year for over 10 million users, and our users range from everyday consumers to sole proprietors to the CEOs of the largest companies in America. The YouMail Robocall Index™, 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. YouMail, Inc. is privately funded and based in Irvine, California.

Contact:
Rohan Notaney for YouMail
Lumina Communications
[email protected]
650-814-9651

SOURCE YouMail Inc.