Consumers receive an estimated 180 million robocalls per day. Many people don't bother to pick up. Others hang up right way.
But, some people actually look forward to the calls. They're making money from them, sometimes thousands of dollars.
Jorge Duran recalled the time he received his first check in the mail.
"It was super exciting," Duran said.
Duran has made it a habit to confront robocallers.
“I’m aware of what you are doing and you are violating the law. And this is exactly what statutes you are violating,” Duran recalls telling one robocaller.
The calls are illegal under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and the Telemarketing Sales Rule, which bars any business from calling a cell phone using an auto-dialer without permission.
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Doc Compton, a credit repair expert, has studied those laws.
"Believe it or not, because these robocallers don't want to go to court, don't want their records exposed in a public forum, they'll often settle," Compton said.
Compton created a step-by-step instructions guide to getting money owed under the law. Basically, he suggests getting as much information as you can, like the business' name and location.
In some cases, all it takes to get the money is a demand letter, saying the business broke the law and needs to pay.
Every time they do call, they owe no less than $500. If your cell phone is on the National Do Not Call Registry, they owe you $1,500.
“Every call that comes in I pick it up with so much enthusiasm, every call,” Duran said.
You can’t make money on every robocall, some are exempt. For example, calls from a registered non-profit and companies you have given permission to contact you are exempt. Along with calls from political campaigns.
