Ring of Intrusion: Unmasking the Robocall Epidemic in South Africa

Dive into the world of relentless robocalls in South Africa, where privacy breaches and financial scams have surged. Discover the challenges faced, regulatory measures taken, and the tech-powered defence strategies as the fight against this digital invasion intensifies.

Romeo Mngqibisa | 07 August 2023

The proliferation of advanced technology has transformed the communication landscape in South Africa. However, this progress has not been without its downsides. One such glaring issue is the rising tide of robocalls, which are automated phone calls made by computerised systems to consumers. While robocalls have legitimate uses, they have become a significant nuisance due to their negative impacts on individuals, businesses, and the overall communication ecosystem.

In recent years, South Africa has witnessed a sharp rise in robocalls, affecting millions of individuals across the country. These calls are not only ways for businesses and other organisations such as political parties to market their goods, services and make announcements, but are also a breeding ground for various scams and phishing attempts, preying on unsuspecting victims. This surge can be attributed to the availability of cheap and easily accessible call automation technology, enabling scammers to target a wide range of potential victims.

Robocalls often involve the use of personal information obtained through various means, such as companies selling their customer databases, social engineering, phishing and data breaches leading to privacy invasion. Fraudulent robocalls, in particular, can trick unsuspecting individuals into divulging sensitive personal or financial information. This can result in identity theft, financial losses, and even compromised online security.

As robocalls become more prevalent, legitimate calls from businesses, government agencies, and healthcare providers can be mistakenly categorised as spam by call recipients. This erodes trust in phone communication, causing individuals to disregard important messages and updates.

Businesses in South Africa are not immune to the negative consequences of robocalls. Their reputations can suffer if customers associate their legitimate communication efforts with spam. Furthermore, businesses can fall victim to phishing attacks and other fraudulent activities originating from deceptive robocalls aimed to deliberately circumvent their security systems.

Robocalls are frequently used as a medium for perpetrating financial scams. These scams prey on the vulnerable, such as the elderly and less tech-savvy individuals. Scammers use tactics that exploit fear and urgency, demanding immediate payments or claiming false liabilities, often with dire consequences.

The surge in robocalls places an additional burden on the country's telecommunication infrastructure. This can lead to reduced call quality, dropped calls, and network congestion, negatively impacting the overall communication experience for all users—overwhelming systems already plagued by severe power cuts.

The constant bombardment of robocalls can have a psychological toll on individuals. Increased stress, anxiety, and a sense of vulnerability can result from the feeling of being constantly targeted by unsolicited and potentially harmful calls. According to MyBroadband, the 2021 Truecaller's Global Spam & Scam Report found that South Africa had the 9th-highest rate of spam calls in the world, which was a massive jump from 17th place in 2020.

While technology has undoubtedly brought significant progress to South Africa, the surge in robocalls highlights the darker side of these advancements. It is crucial for regulators, telecommunication companies, and individuals to work together to find effective solutions to mitigate the menace of robocalls and restore the integrity of communication channels in the country.

Recognising the urgency of the issue, South Africa's regulatory authorities have taken significant strides to combat robocalls. The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) and the National Consumer Commission (NCC) have collaborated to address the problem. They have established guidelines and regulations to curb the activities of illegal robocallers and protect consumers from harm.?

The Protection of Personal Information (POPI) Act has prohibited robocalls from direct marketers. South Africa has implemented a National Opt-Out Registry which is run by the Direct Marketing Association of South Africa (DMASA). This is a free service where consumers can register their phone numbers to opt-out of receiving unsolicited marketing calls. By enrolling in this registry, consumers can reduce the number of legitimate telemarketing calls reaching their phones.

It is worth noting that using this method only removes the consumer from contact lists of businesses who are registered members of the DMASA, and consumers may still receive unsolicited calls from other businesses, organisations and scammers.

Many modern smartphones come equipped with built-in call screening technology, which filters out calls from unknown or suspicious numbers. Call screening prompts the caller to state their name before connecting the call, allowing the recipient to decide whether to answer or ignore it. Moreover, applications are also available to download allowing users to filter and block unwanted calls, including robocalls. These apps can automatically screen, detect and block known robocall numbers or numbers flagged as spam, providing a hassle-free way to keep one's phone free from unwanted calls.

Avoiding the provision of personal information, such as a phone number, email address, or financial details, to unfamiliar or suspicious sources is strongly encouraged. Robocallers often use harvested data to target individuals with scams or fraudulent offers. Limiting the disclosure of personal information can help mitigate the risk of falling victim to such scams.

The South African government can enact and enforce stricter regulations that target robocallers and impose heavier penalties for violating these laws. By implementing harsher consequences for scamming and spoofing, robocallers may think twice before engaging in these illicit activities.

The government can collaborate with telecommunication companies to implement advanced call authentication technologies, such as STIR/SHAKEN, which validate the handoff of phone calls passing through the complex web of networks, allowing the phone company of the consumer receiving the call to verify that a call is in fact from the number displayed on Caller ID. This measure would significantly reduce spoofed calls and enhance the caller identification process.

Initiating widespread public awareness campaigns to educate citizens about the dangers of robocalls and how to identify and avoid potential scams. Empowering the public with knowledge can help recognise and report suspicious calls effectively. This should include understanding how their data will be processed and used upon signing up for products and services both online and in-person.

As an option of last resort, citizens can report unwanted and unsolicited calls to the relevant authorities or to their phone service provider. Reporting robocalls can aid in identifying patterns and malicious activities, helping authorities take appropriate action against offenders. According to Law For All, citizens can open a case of harassment with the South African Police Service, which is empowered by the Regulation of Interception of Communications Act (RICA), giving them access to every cell phone user’s details and can use this information to track down the perpetrators.

Robocalls continue to be a pervasive issue for South Africans, impacting personal privacy, financial security, and business operations. However, with the joint efforts of regulators, telecommunications providers, and the public, significant progress is being made to combat this issue.

By adopting a multi-faceted approach that includes public awareness, stricter regulations, and technological innovations as essential components in the fight against robocalls, will one day have this technology used sparingly and as intended. While there is still work to be done, collective action and vigilance will ensure that South Africa can eventually overcome this technological nuisance and protect its citizens from the growing threats posed by robocalls. As South Africa continues to navigate the digital age, addressing the robocall menace will be a crucial step in securing a safer and more connected future.