If you’ve been inundated with robocalls lately, you’re not alone.
The latest data from the communications services company YouMail shows nationwide robocall data from October 2020, and the statistics are pretty astounding. YouMail says there was an average of 5.7 million robocalls placed every hour in October. And, on average, every American with a phone got 13 robocalls during the month.
The new data also shows the cities and area codes that endured the most robocalls in October. They include some of the largest metropolitan areas in the United States. Do you live in one of them? Let’s look at the 10 locations most affected:
Robocallers Targeted These Cities The Most in October
| City | Area Code | Estimated Calls Received | % Change Month-Over-Month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | 404 and 678 | 166,979,200 | 12 |
| Dallas | 214 | 157,472,500 | 13 |
| Chicago | 773 | 130,421,100 | 13 |
| Los Angeles | 310 | 129,909,000 | 17 |
| New York | 917 | 127,963,200 | 10 |
| Houston | 832 | 121,149,800 | 10 |
| Phoenix | 480 | 98,252,200 | 14 |
| Baltimore | 443 and 301 | 87,191,600 | 13 |
| San Francisco Bay Area | 510 | 78,137,200 | 14 |
| Philadelphia | 215 | 71,692,400 | 15 |
Take a deep dive into YouMail’s October robocall data.
Final Thought
Robocalls aren’t just an annoying waste of time. They could end up costing you because plenty of those calls are out-and-out scams (40% of them according to YouMail) trying to separate you from your money.
Money expert Clark Howard has a strategy to prevent getting scammed.
“Consider following my rule,” Clark says. “It’s a simple rule: If I don’t recognize the number as being from someone I know, I do not answer the call.”
The major cell phone carriers provide anti-junk call initiatives to cut down on nuisance calls to their customers. Here are a few:
If you want to learn more, read up on how to stop robocalls for good.
