DENVER (KDVR) — A new report from Colorado consumer watchdog group COPIRG shows spam robocalls are now at a six-year high, with Colorado ranking fourth in the nation for imposter scam reports.
“I don’t even answer it now because I feel like every single call is a scam,” said one resident who receives several calls each day.
Scam calls now use technology designed to deceptively collect personal and financial information.
Colorado residents received more than 290 million robocalls from January through September of this year, according to robocall blocking company YouMail.
The Colorado Public Interest Research Group Foundation’s 2025 Ringing In Our Fears Report indicates the steep increase in the number of calls is caused in part by the use of artificial intelligence.
Another reason behind the surge in scam calls is that nearly 1,400 companies have failed to install the required technology to block the calls processed through an elaborate system. The Federal Communications Commission has shut down the companies in violation.
“(Calls) might bounce 10, 15 or 20 times on different towers and involve different companies, that’s why it’s so important that every single phone company needs to be using this anti-robocall technology because if some aren’t, it just opens some cracks and that’s all these scam artists need,” said COPIRG Executive Director Danny Katz.
Many scam calls use high-pressure tactics to threaten that an unpaid bill, government or law enforcement issue must be addressed.
COPIRG advises anyone who receives unknown calls to let them go to voicemail instead of answering them. Look up numbers for yourself or use trusted contact information to verify any claims. Report all scam calls and texts to the FCC or Colorado Attorney General’s Office here.
Anthony Sutton is a business strategist and writer with a passion for management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. With years of experience in the corporate world, he shares insights on business growth, strategy, and innovation through management-opleiding.org.
