Here's how to protect yourself from robocall scams

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Debt collectors, special offers, sometimes even recordings in different languages -- unwanted automated robocalls are not only a headache, but they're costing consumers hundreds of millions of dollars lost in scams.[br /][br /][b]RELATED: [url HREF="https://abc7news.com/shopping/7-on-your-side-tells-you-how-to-find-out-if-youre-a-victim-of-spoofing/3271627/" TARGET="" REL=""]7 on Your Side tells you how to find out if you're a victim of spoofing[/url][/b][br /][br /]Consumer Reports reveals simple ways to protect yourself right now, and also looks into new technology that could permanently hang up on robocalls once and for all.[br /][Ads /][br /]Tired of this type of messages? "I'm calling about an online request you once made about health insurance coverage."[br /][br /]Judy Rosen, a therapist who needs to keep her phone close, is fed up with robocalls. "Sometimes in the middle of someone telling me something really important the phone will go off and it will be one of these robocalls. It's very annoying," she said.[br /][br /]And she's not alone. In August, consumers received more than 4.2 billion robocalls. Many coming from scammers trying to trick consumers out of money.[br /][br /][b]RELATED: [url HREF="https://abc7news.com/business/family-mystified-when-cellphone-bill-showed-payments-they-never-made/4307308/" TARGET="" REL=""]South Bay family mystified when cellphone bill showed payments they never made[/url][/b][br /][br /]"They're offering you some sort of product, and they're asking you to either wire them money from your bank account into their account, or go to the store and pick up a preloaded credit card and send them money that way," said Octavio Blanco, Consumer Reports Money Editor.[br /][Ads /][br /]According to a study, scam calls will account for nearly half of all mobile calls by 2019. "A lot of them are the same area code as my phone so I assume it's a friend or someone I know or something like that, and I pick it up," admits Rosen.[br /][br /]It's a common tactic called "spoofing" -- when robocallers disguise their number to look like one that comes from your local area. There's a new technology with a strange name that could help.[br /][br /]"Shaken and stirred technology is promising, it's something that's being developed by the phone providers as a way to sift out spoofed calls," said Blanco.[br /][br /][b]RELATED: [url HREF="https://abc7news.com/news/couple-wins-$1-million-in-lawsuit-from-bank-of-america-after-receiving-700+-robocalls/433832/" TARGET="" REL=""]Couple wins $1 million in lawsuit from Bank of America after receiving 700+ robocalls[/url][/b][br /][br /]Still, it could be years before consumers see the benefits of the new tech. In the meantime, here is what you can do now.[br /][Ads /][br /][br /][br /]List your phone number with the national Do Not Call Registry, ask your phone company if they offer an advanced robocall-blocking service, and consider a call-blocking app. Nomorobo [url HREF="https://www.nomorobo.com/" TARGET="" REL=""]here[/url]. , Hiya [url HREF="https://hiya.com/" TARGET="" REL=""]here[/url]. [/b] . and PrivacyStar [url HREF="https://www.privacystar.com/" TARGET="" REL=""]here[/url]. all offer call-protection options.[br /][br /]As for Judy Rosen, she's open to the new tools to give her phone a break. "I know it's only going to get worse so anything that can stop it I'm open to using," she said.[br /][br /]Another way consumer's can fight back is reporting robocalls to the Federal Trade Commission. Just write down the number and enter it on the FTC's Do Not Call list website [url HREF="https://www.donotcall.gov/" TARGET="" REL=""]here[/url]. [/b] .[br /][br /][b]Take a look at all of 7 On Your Side's stories with Consumer Reports [url HREF="https://abc7news.com/tag/consumer-reports/" TARGET="" REL=""]here[/url]. [/b][br /][br /][i]All Consumer Reports material Copyright 2018 Consumer Reports, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Consumer Reports is a not-for-profit organization which accepts no advertising. It has no commercial relationship with any advertiser or sponsor on this site. For more information visit [url HREF="https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/index.htm" TARGET="" REL=""]ConsumerReports.org[/url].[/i]