As robocalls rise nationwide, small businesses are bearing the brunt — and looking for solutions.
Spam calls and robocalls are more than nuisances—for small-business owners like Pablo and Vanessa Munoz, they’re a daily disruption that’s hurting business.
The couple, who run 239 Nutrition in Naples, say they receive up to 30 spam calls between noon and the following morning. Those calls interrupt customer interactions, which slows service.
For five years, the Munozes have built a community around their health-focused smoothie shop, serving protein-packed, low-calorie drinks to regulars and new customers. Takes pride in forming personal connections and supporting others on their wellness journeys. But lately, he’s been spending more time answering pointless calls than making shakes.”What’s been getting in our way is the calls,” he said.”It’s crazy.”
They have blocked more than 100 numbers, with ones that keep appearing.
“If you’re not answering your phone, you’re answering the business phone,” Vanessa said. You never know who it is.”Constant interruptions are not only frustrating but also potentially harmful to business. Missing a legitimate order could mean losing a customer.
“I don’t want to be disrespectful,” Pablo said. But I’m trying to run a business.”
To cope, they have resorted to answering, hanging up, and blocking the number — a short-term fix that has not stopped the flood.
Computer science professor Alex Djahankhah of Florida SouthWestern State College said this locally owned business is not alone.
“Americans have lost a lot of money due to scam calls,” he said. The FCC and carriers are trying to identify these numbers, but they change often.”
He warns that many of these calls are scams, some using AI to sound like trusted voices, even celebrities or family members.
“It could be Jay-Z talking to you, ” Djahankhah said, “Or someone pretending to be your grandson.”
He encourages people to report spam calls to carriers and use sites like donotcall.gov and reportfraud.ftc.gov to fight back.
His advice: spot the call, stop it, and report it.
Helpful Links:
Stop the Madness: How to Block Spam Calls and Robocalls
FTC Consumer Advice to block unwanted calls
Related: Are you tired of your inbox filling with spam?
Article by Alexia Tsiropoulos
Alexia Tsiropoulos started working as a reporter for Gulf Coast News in July 2022.
Florida was already familiar to Alexia. She joined the Gulf Coast News after working at WMBB as a reporter and fill-in anchor for two years in Panama City.
Although Alexia said she is a southern girl at heart, she was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. After moving to Houston, Texas, she was happy to trade in the snow for the heat.
Alexia’s adoration for storytelling grew at a young age while she attended Episcopal High School in Houston. She fell in love with the school’s broadcast journalism program, which led her to choose journalism as her major at LSU. She also double-minored in psychology and business.
That love grew even more throughout her four years at the Manship School of Mass Communication.
She was a reporter and News Director for TigerTV, the student-run news station. Before graduating in May 2020, Alexia interned at KPRC2 in Houston and worked in production at WVLA in Baton Rouge.
Alexia goes to the beach, tries new restaurants, and watches sports in her spare time.
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