4 min readSpam calls are annoying for everyone, but they can be a major disruption for real estate agents and property managers. Whether they’re robocalls, telemarketers, or outright scams, these unwanted calls take up valuable time and increase stress.
Why are spam calls and robocalls so common?
Americans receive 53 billion robocalls a year, they’re the most common type of spam call, followed by telemarketing calls, scam calls, and debt collections. With 92% of Americans having received an unwanted spam call, they’re a universal problem.
Scammers and marketers can send out billions of robocalls with minimal effort because they’re so cheap to make (in theory you could call every person in Seattle for under $150 using robocalls). The problem has gotten so bad that the FCC identified an auto warranty scam operation that had sent over eight billion robocall messages since 2018 (averaging two billion calls per year from a single campaign)!
The impact of spam calls on real estate and property professionals
Real estate agents and property managers rely heavily on phone calls for client inquiries, negotiations, and scheduling. When spam calls flood the line, they create unnecessary distractions and waste time and money.
Real estate is personal, so it’s not uncommon for property professionals to list their contact information publicly for marketing purposes on websites and social media. It’s an important part of your business, but it also makes a prime target for scammers, making it easy for them to obtain direct contact details. If your number is on public record, chances are it’s already being used for unsolicited calls.
How to reduce spam calls
- It’s difficult to avoid spam calls altogether, but you can take steps to stop the interruptions and better protect yourself.
- List your number on the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Do Not Call Registry to help reduce telemarketing calls.
- If you receive a fraudulent call, report it to help authorities track down large scam operations.
- Use a dedicated business phone number instead of your personal line. SignMore clients, for example, have access to a free business number and the option to add additional lines for teams, campaigns, or different parts of their business.
- Block callers with your phone provider and answering service.
Don’t contribute to the problem – avoid real estate spam calls and know the laws
Avoid making your own real estate spam calls. Some real estate professionals are being accused of unlawfully using telemarketing calls and texts for promotional purposes. Marketing is important in real estate, but so is staying out of legal trouble.
With more states introducing stricter telemarketing laws, agents, brokers and property professionals need to be careful. The best way to avoid legal trouble? Get consent from the consumers you want to call or text and regularly check numbers against the Do-Not-Call Registry.
The real estate and property industry is all about trust and credibility, don’t risk yours with robocalls.
