Ask Us: What can I do to avoid robocalls?
Published 2:34 pm Monday, December 6, 2021
- Ask Us
Editor’s note: Ask Us is a weekly feature published online Mondays and in print on Tuesdays. We’ll seek to answer your questions about items or trends in Rowan County. Have a question? Email it to askus@salisburypost.com.
A reader asked about avoiding repeat robocalls identifying themselves as local internet service providers on identification information and calling from disconnected numbers.
Some phone service providers have filtering features to try to avoid or identify some robocalls. There are applications available as well.
Spectrum, one of the internet service providers in Rowan County, recommends not speaking to a suspected robocaller because the automated system making the call may use your response to confirm the number is working. The reader specifically asked about robocalls from Spectrum, which also advises robocalls will use phone numbers similar to your own as a tactic to get you to pick up.
Sending false information about a caller identification, either appearing as a service provider or similar number, is called spoofing. This can be illegal if the intent is to commit fraud, but spoofing can be used for legitimate business such as returning calls to a business line from a cellphone.
Many robocalls are legal, but not all are. Another way to avoid some unwanted calls is to register on the National Do Not Call Registry.
The registry is maintained by the Federal Trade Commission and many telemarketing operations are legally required to abide by the registry. Unwanted calls can also be reported via the registry website.
To register your number or report an unwanted call visit donotcall.gov.
Will the NCDOT improve the intersection of Heilig and Faith roads?
A reader asked if a stop light is being considered for the intersection of Heilig and Faith roads, noting traffic has increased due to new development in the area and left turns onto Faith Road can be difficult.
NCDOT Division 9 District Engineer Kelly Seitz said the agency plans to install turn lanes on Heilig Road in the coming months.
Division 9 Traffic Engineer J.P. Couch said the agency studied the intersection and most of the traffic was turning right onto Faith Road while the few drivers turning left created queuing at the intersection. The new lanes should alleviate the queuing issue.
Couch said the department does not have any plans to install a traffic signal at the intersection, but it will reevaluate if traffic patterns change.