Those Pesky Phone Bots: The Scam That Won’t Die

Remember when the FCC swore robocalls were going away? Yeah, how’s that working out? Because my phone just rang again, flashing that comforting message: “Scam Likely.” Translation: This is about to waste your time AND your money.

Here’s the latest trick: You answer. No one speaks. Why? Because you’ve just confirmed you’re a live target. Congrats—you’re now on the VIP list for the Prince of Darkness’s Financial Aid Program. Next thing you know, you’re “cleaning” your own money so some overseas scammer can send you “thousands.” Spoiler: the only thing you’ll be cleaning is your empty bank account.

And for those thinking, “Well, at least the Nigerian Prince is gone…” Nope. That dude didn’t die—he just got an AI upgrade. We’ve turned nuisance calls into a business model of PR theater. Now scammers can imitate your loved ones crying for help, because deepfakes are cheaper than plane tickets.

Here’s the jaw-dropper: Americans—mostly seniors—are losing nearly a billion dollars a year to these schemes. Every time we think we’ve beaten one scam, another spawns like a bad horror movie sequel. Same playbook as politics: narratives over facts—see weaponized narratives. When tech hype outruns reality, it looks a lot like hype vs. reality. Scam Call 8: The AI Awakens.

So what’s the answer? Don’t pick up. If it’s important, they’ll leave a voicemail. And if that voicemail says your grandkid is in jail in Mexico? Call your grandkid—not the “lawyer” demanding Western Union.

Chatrodamus Predicts:

In the future AI scambots will be flagged just like phone scam calls, on your screen – AI scambot likely.