Nearly 5 billion robocalls were made in June 2023, and a never-ending battle rages between...
The battle against spam calls and fraud has seen significant advancements over the past decade. This blog will take a quick look at the history of spam calls, the developments in fraud detection over the last decade, and the emergence of AI in fighting spam calls, including:
- A Brief History of Spam Calls
- How Real-Time Audio Collection Enhances Communication Security
- The Role of YouMailPS in Revolutionizing Telephone Number Scoring
A Brief History Of Spam Calls
Spam calls have been a nuisance seemingly for as long as telephones have existed… but certainly over the last decade. The term "spam" itself has an interesting origin. Did you know that it comes from a Monty Python sketch where the word "spam" is repeated over and over, taking over basically everything. This repetitive and unwanted intrusion became synonymous with unwanted emails and calls.
In the 1980s, the first automated dialing systems were introduced, leading to a surge in telemarketing calls. By the 1990s, caller ID became a tool to screen unwanted calls … but sadly, it wasn't long before spammers found ways to spoof numbers.
In recent years, the problem has escalated, with July 2023 alone seeing over 4.5 billion robocalls – in just that one month, in the USA only. (That’s about 6,000,000 spam calls per hour, every hour of every day in July.)
But the fight against spam calls has been marked by the development of new technologies and strategies, with companies like YouMail and their enterprise divisions, YouMailPS, leading the way. Legislation, technological advancements, and consumer awareness have all played roles in combating this persistent problem, but the battle continues as spammers adapt and evolve.
The journey from the humorous origin of the term to the serious issue it represents today reflects the complex and ever-changing nature of spam calls.
Developments In Fraud Detection In the Last Decade
A number of companies have led the fight against both email spam and phone spam. On the spam calls front, YouMail was one of the first phone spam fighters, and is still considered the most innovative. For example, YouMail released their Android app prior to 2011, and by 2013 they had already reached 5 million registered users. By 2015, YouMail had introduced one of the first useable voice-to-text features available, adding a new dimension spam blocking – bonus services.
Other key developments from YouMail included real-time audio collection, collaboration with carriers and authorities, and the introduction of features like Smart Blocking and Auto-Reply. These innovations have made fraud detection more effective and accessible to consumers and businesses alike. It also provides data to YouMailPS, powering today’s most effective spam fighting technology.
AI And More: A New Era In Fraud Detection And Fighting Spam Calls
In 2011, YouMail celebrated a total of 1 billion calls through our system. Now, though, they have stopped that many robocalls — over 1 billion robocalls stopped in total!
In 2023, the number of calls has risen to 10 billion calls answered, with users grown from 5 million in 2013, to over 13 million a decade later. But how has the fight against spam calls changed?
As time has progressed, so has the sophistication of the criminals … and the crime fighters. The integration of AI, for example, has ushered in a new era in fraud detection and the fight against spam calls.
Billions of data points — such as call frequency, audio analytics, call timing, and much more — is collected from YouMail, and processed using patented, sophisticated AI technologies.
The AI can rapidly and effectively identify spam calls. YouMail's call blocking app then assigns a risk rating or blocks fraudulent robocalls to help put spammers out of business.
YouMailPS provides enterprise clients and phone companies with a suite of higher-level services using that data, such as real-time analysis and response, coordinated efforts with carriers and authorities, honeypots, fingerprinting, phone number scoring, content-based analytics, managed detection and response, brand impersonation identification, and much more.
The application of AI and other advancements in the last decade have revolutionized the way spam calls are detected and blocked.
The fight against spam calls and fraud has come a long way. From the early days of recognizing the scale of the problem to the integration of AI and real-time response mechanisms, the evolution has been remarkable. Companies like YouMailPS have played a pivotal role in this progress, offering innovative solutions that protect consumers and businesses alike.
Corporate and Communication Service Providers: Interested in learning more about how to protect yourself from spam calls and fraud? Explore YouMailPS's solutions and take control of your communication security today. Schedule a no-obligation demo here >
