The Hiya Voice

News and views for better voice performance

All articles

2024 State of the Call: Consumers prefer voice, but spam ...

While consumers and businesses continue to prioritize voice calls, phone fraud, and spam are on the rise, posing a threat to the medium ... >

Brazilians receive 24 spam calls per person per month

Brazil has a major phone spam problem. Brazillians receive an average of 24 spam calls per person each month. That’s considerably more than ... >

Highlights from Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2024

Hiya was delighted to meet customers and partners in person at Mobile World Congress 2024, the world’s largest and most influential trade ... >

Canada Revenue Agency scams tax Canadian’s patience

As if calculating and paying taxes weren’t bad enough, Canadians must also deal with phone scammers who try to con them out of their ... >

Immigration scams on the rise in the UK

Immigration and visa scams are on the rise in the UK. >

Why registering your business phone number matters

Effective communication is a constant throughline of any successful business. The ability to enable precise, timely, and trustworthy ... >

Biden voice-clone robocall highlights AI-generated phone ...

The Joe Biden voice-clone robocall encouraging voters not to vote in the Democratic primary in New Hampshire was an eerie reminder that ... >

Package delivery scams are common worldwide

If you receive a call telling you there’s a problem with a package delivery, think twice before you answer any questions or press a button ... >

Q4 Global Call Threat Report: phone scams peak during ...

Late November not only kicked off the holiday season, but scammers kicked into high gear to take advantage of consumers preoccupied with ... >

Beyond the scam: Understanding the true cost of fraud calls

Almost all of us have received a fraud call, and some may have even fallen victim to a phone scam. However, the actual cost of fraud goes ... >

Understanding and avoiding the Eversource scam

In an era dominated by technology, phone scams have become an escalating concern for individuals and businesses alike. The ubiquity of ... >

Scam of the month: loan phone scams

Hiya’s data show that loan scams were the sixth most commonly reported phone scam in the world last year. (See Top 10 phone scams of 2023.) ... >

Navigating the robocall mitigation database: A ...

With robocalls becoming more common, it can feel like a day goes by without a call from an unknown number disrupting your routine. And when ... >

The future of voice: challenges and opportunities

What are the challenges threatening the future of voice, and where are there untapped opportunities? How can carriers cement the voice call ... >

Top 10 phone scams of 2023

Bank and credit card scams topped the list of fraudulent phone calls worldwide in 2023, with Amazon impersonators coming in second. >

“Hallo mama” scam hitting Germany

In Germany, residents are being hit with the “Hallo mama” scam. >

Are robocalls illegal? Laws, protections, and best practices

Robocalls have become a nuisance in the lives of consumers and businesses alike. These unsolicited calls often deliver pre-recorded ... >

Billions lost to pension scams in the UK

After working hard their whole lives, pensioners in the UK can finally relax and enjoy their retirement. Then the phone rings, with ... >

Scam of the month: Open enrollment

Open enrollment for health insurance happens around this time every year in the US, generally from late October through early December. And ... >

Need relief? Phone scammers are betting you do

Relief scams were among the top phone scams in the US, according to Hiya’s Q3 Global Call Threat Report, which reveals spam rates in 39 ... >

Voice fraud and the threat of generative AI

To illustrate the power of generative AI — and how it can be misused by scammers — Hiya’s Chief Product Officer James Lau cloned the voice ... >

Winning the war on phone spam in Canada

Hiya representatives attended and presented at the Canadian Telecom Summit, held Nov. 6-8 in Toronto. Hosted by the Canadian ... >

Hiya represented at Futurecom, Latin America’s largest ...

For the first time, Hiya was represented at Futurecom, Latin America’s largest B2B trade show for the connectivity industry. The three-day ... >

Q3 report: In some countries, more of than half of unknown ...

Which four countries have spam call rates exceeding 50%? What’s the most common phone scam in the UK? Which US state gets the most spam ... >

Scam of the month: The “yes” scam

There are new phone scams. There are old phone scams. There are even old phone scams that become new again. That seems to be the case with ... >

State of the Call Summit 2023 gathers industry leaders to ...

Telecommunication leaders, spam and fraud experts, and industry regulators gathered at Hiya’s 2023 State of the Call Summit in New York ... >

Consumer Council scam calls

Smartphones keep us conveniently connected to the world, but fraudulent calls cause problems for many consumers. Criminals employ ... >

Can reputation services erase my spam labels?

For every problem or pain point a business has, it seems like there are companies out there offering services to solve that problem. That’s ... >

Phishing vs. vishing vs. smishing

Fraud is an unfortunate but prevalent issue that every organization should be aware of, especially considering how much criminals will take ... >

Why the battle against spam is still ongoing

What are the challenges to winning the war on phone spam? >

Scam of the month: Payment app scams (Venmo, PayPal, Zelle, ...

Peer-to-peer payment apps like Venmo, PayPal, Cash App and Zelle have made paying friends and family quick and easy. The problem is, those ... >

Top 10 states for phone spam

Which U.S. state gets the most phone spam? >

UK has highest fraud call rate in Europe

The United Kingdom continues to have Europe's highest fraud call rate, at 9.3%. Brits are bombarded by fraudsters impersonating loved ones, ... >

The role of the carrier in advancing voice technology

At a panel discussion hosted by Hiya at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, a group of telecom experts was asked the question, “What is the ... >

Canada experiencing increase in spam calls

Canada is experiencing an increase in spam calls, and the most prevalent phone scams in the country are impersonation scams and Amazon ... >

Hiya honeypots and user reports capture a wealth of insight ...

Ever wonder how Hiya knows what phone scams are currently out there — or when new ones suddenly arise? Hiya Protect is powered by Adaptive ... >

“Loved ones scam” is a global problem

Phone scammers like to catch their victims off guard. They jolt their victims with upsetting information and push them to act before they ... >

Scam of the Month: Google Business Profile scam

We write a lot about phone scams that target consumers, but the Google Business Profile scam primarily affects business owners. >

The rise of AI: voice impersonation scams

Phone scams have long plagued the voice channel, but now with the help of AI they are evolving. AI-powered voice scams are on the rise, ... >

Beyond fraud: Why carriers need to address nuisance calls

Carriers put a lot of effort into stopping scam and fraud calls. And rightly so, as these calls are intended to steal money and/or personal ... >

What you can expect at the 2023 State of the Call Summit

In 2019, Hiya hosted our first annual “State of the Call 2019 Summit”. This summit brought together industry experts dedicated to sharing ... >

What is driving spam call growth?

There are two contributing factors, according to Hiya CEO and founder Alex Algard, who spoke during a panel discussion at Mobile World ... >

Scam of the Month: Vehicle accident

Just when consumers were breathing a collective sigh of relief as the vehicle warranty scam fades, there comes a different vehicle-related ... >

Successes and shortcomings of STIR/SHAKEN

June 30, 2023, marked the deadline for which nearly all types of carriers (large, small, gateway providers) must implement STIR/SHAKEN. ... >

Number rotation undermines consumer spam protections — ...

Phone spam and fraud is a pervasive problem threatening the consumer voice experience. In Q1 2023, one-quarter of all unknown calls ... >

Scam of the month: COVID-related threats

For many, COVID-19 seems like a distant memory. Life has returned to near normal, and most people just want to put COVID behind them. ... >

What is neighborhood spoofing?

If you get an incoming call from a foreign country or even a state where you have no friends or relatives, that’s a tipoff that it could be ... >

Scam of the Month: The IRS scam

It used to be that only two things in life were certain: death and taxes. But just as certain as death and taxes are scammers who play on ... >

What are “Spam Risk” or “Scam Likely” numbers and why do ...

One of the best advancements in telephone technology over the past 50 years is the caller ID display. Being able to see who is calling has ... >

Europol phone scam in Germany

This past summer Germany was hit by a massive phone scam campaign where callers posed as representatives of Europol (the European Union’s ... >

Scam of the Month: The mortgage scam

“Hi, this is Denise reaching out from [your mortgage agency] in regard to your recent mortgage payment of $250,000. Please give us a call ... >

Chinese-language robocall scam in Canada

Hiya’s data shows that Chinese-language phone scams remain one of the top three phone scams in Canada (along with Amazon and credit card ... >

CPF Scams Target French Citizens

It seems that each country has a phone scam that is unique to it. For France, it’s the CPF scam. >

"A criminal case is registered against your name for tax ...

"This call is to notify you that a criminal case is registered against your name for tax evasion and tax fraud by HMRC. We are ... >

Protecting vulnerable populations from phone scams

Anyone can be fooled by a phone scam. All it takes is to get caught off guard or to hear something that sounds plausible and act on it ... >

Scam of the Month: Why am I getting so many calls about my ...

Insurance phone scams are a growing problem today. These scams typically involve bad actors posing as insurance agents or representatives ... >

"We can reduce your energy bill by 87%" Energy crisis in ...

The rising cost of living in the UK is causing anxiety and even street protests and is leaving Brits searching for ways to save money on ... >

Global Call Threat Report: the world is drowning in spam ...

The world is drowning in spam calls. That seems to be the overarching contention of the recently-published Global Call Threat Report from ... >

What is number rotation and why is it so insidious?

Consumers are being bombarded with spam. In response, carriers have implemented technology to block or label suspected spam and fraud calls ... >

Amazon Scam Calls to Watch For | Hiya

Amazon is in an enviable position of being a top retailer and having global brand recognition. The flip side of that, however, is that its ... >

“We have a fantastic offer for you” Spain bombarded with ...

Spain has the worst phone spam problem in Europe. Of the 20 European countries in which Hiya gathers spam data, Spain came in #1 with a ... >

Gabb Wireless & Hiya: working together to stop spam ...

Gabb Wireless is dedicated to its mission of creating a safe space for kids in the technological world; through its custom Android ... >

Scam of the Month: Medicare scam calls

The Medicare scam is an all too popular ruse that plagues the voice channel; this harmful deceit was crafted specifically to hurt the ... >

Scam of the Month 2022: A Year in Review

Phone scams come in all different shapes and sizes. Each variation is another attempt to infiltrate your defenses and procure your ... >

What Country Gets the Most Phone Spam?

What country gets the most phone spam? You’ll find the answer to that question in the recently-published Global Spam Report from Hiya. >

Help! My Numbers are Being Flagged as Spam, but My Calls ...

Scam, spam, and fraud calls are nothing new. They’ve been around for decades and each year, the problem grows. While consumers expect an ... >

Scam of the Month: The Credit National Assist scam

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) a debt relief scam is a ruse that targets a consumer with significant credit card debt by ... >

Hiya Launches Personal Call Filtering: The Industry’s ...

A phone call is the preferred method of communication for both consumers and businesses, according to Hiya’s State of the Call report. Yet, ... >

Scam of the Month: Why Am I Getting Calls About My Social ...

The voice call still reigns supreme for sales. That is one of the key takeaways from Hiya’s midyear check-in, the State of the Call for ... >

Fraud Affects Age Groups Differently

What age group is the most likely to fall victim to fraud? If you guessed seniors, you’d be wrong. According to the Federal Trade ... >

The Phone: A Gateway for Fraud

According to the Federal Trade Commission, of the 1.8 million fraud reports received last year that included a contact method, the phone ... >

Watch Out For Hurricane-related Scam Calls

In the wake of Hurricane Ian in Florida, and Hurricane Fiona which stretched from Puerto Rico to Eastern Canada, relief organizations have ... >

Webinar: Is Your Branded Caller ID Solution Secure?

Hiya will be presenting a special webinar at the upcoming STIR/SHAKEN Enterprise Summit, a week-long webinar series focused on enterprise ... >

Scam of the Month: The healthcare scam

The patient enters the examination room concerned with what they think may be an infection. >

Hiya and Ericsson: Partnering to Protect Global Wireless ...

Hiya has a new partnership with Ericsson to provide network-based call protection to wireless carriers globally. The new offering, named ... >

Auto Warranty Scam: No Longer #1

The auto warranty scam has been the #1 phone scam in the United States for more than two years, based on the number of reports from ... >

Senior Scam: Spoofing the Greatest Generation

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), older adults (those 60 and older) are the least likely of any age group to report losing ... >

Phone Scams: A Global Frustration

Phone spam and fraud calls are a global problem, as can clearly be seen in Hiya’s State of the Call reports for the United States, Canada ... >

Hiya expands in Canada with Rogers

We’re thrilled to announce the availability of our services has expanded in Canada through a new partnership with Rogers. The partnership ... >

Scam of the Month: Utilities

It takes a lot to run a happy home. Proper light, heat, and power are necessary for the upkeep of any shelter; utilities are a reflection ... >

Spam vs Fraud: 15 Varieties of Unwanted Calls

At Hiya, we define a spam call as a nuisance call. There are two main classifications of unwanted calls: nuisance calls and fraud calls. ... >

Canadians Plagued by Government Impersonation Phone Scams

While the most popular phone scam in the U.S. last year was the auto warranty scam, in Canada, government impersonation scams top the list. ... >

FCC and Hiya Protect: Taking Action with the TCPA

Back in 1991, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) became law – and it is a law that is still widely used today to protect ... >

Scam of the Month: Student Loan Debt

You’ve got your diploma, you’ve tossed your cap, and now it is time to greet the open world, but a successful higher education comes with a ... >

FCC (and Hiya) Cracking Down on Auto Warranty Scams

Earlier this year, we looked into the popular auto warranty scam and its impact on businesses and consumers. Based on our data, we ... >

Protect Your Network from Common Phone Scams

There’s no doubt about it. Spam and fraud calls are an increasingly annoying nuisance for consumers, with people receiving an average of 14 ... >

Top 5 Scam Calls of 2022 So Far

Every week Hiya receives more than 1.6 million reports of spam and scam calls. These come from users of Hiya’s mobile app, and customers of ... >

Scam of the Month: The Credit Card Scam

In May we took a look at one of the most popular phone scams plaguing the voice channel: the credit card scam. Whether it is a tap, a chip, ... >

STIR/SHAKEN and Illegal Call Spoofing

Millions of Americans own different types of mobile phones and all of these people know that fraudulent calls are already a huge problem in ... >

Robocalls: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly

If there’s one thing everyone hates, it’s robocalls. That’s a technology that should have never been invented. But what about the robocall ... >

Is STIR/SHAKEN Preventing Scam Calls?

We are quickly approaching the final implementation deadline of STIR/SHAKEN legislation, which was enacted to reduce spam and scam calls. ... >

The Latest Tool to Stop Spam and Scam Calls: Adaptive AI

How do you stop spam and scam calls? Traditionally, spam-blocking services had used the historical model. If a phone number has a history ... >

What is Adaptive AI?

Adaptive AI blocks 28% more spam and scam calls Spam and scam calls hurt everyone: consumers and businesses are annoyed or defrauded by ... >

Scam of the Month: The Eavesdropping Scam

You’ve likely read about the Wangiri scam, and I’m sure someone has contacted you about your “car’s extended warranty”. But there’s a new ... >

How to Stay Prepared as 401K Plan Provider this Tax Season

When tax time rolls around, customers tend to have a lot of inquiries about interest and mortgage statements. How do they affect my taxes? ... >

What you need to know about STIR/SHAKEN in 2022

STIR/SHAKEN’s ultimate goal is to reduce robocalls in the telecom networks. To achieve this, STIR/SHAKEN attempts to help differentiate the ... >

Scam of the Month: The Wangiri Scam

Ring! Click. The caller hung up. But why? Welcome to the Wangiri scam — one of the world's most popular scam calls. In Japanese, Wangiri ... >

How to avoid IRS scam calls

Let’s face it, money matters. Whether you’re earning it or spending it, financial security is crucial. Unfortunately, the never-ending IRS ... >

The top 12 utility scams to avoid this year

Fraudsters have taken advantage of rising electricity bills to prey on consumers by stealing personal and financial information. According ... >

Subscribe to the Hiya blog

We publish a new post
about once a week.