Reading:

“Tired of getting spam calls? Here's why you may never be rid of them”

Pre-Reading Discussion
1. What steps do you take to protect yourself from spam calls?

2. Do you think telecom companies should be held responsible for

preventing spam calls, or is it solely the responsibility of individuals to
protect themselves?

3. How do you think the prevalence of spam calls affects people's trust in
phone communication and technology in general?

Summary:

Spam calls, also known as scam calls, have become a frustrating part of
daily life for many people. These calls often involve fraudsters
impersonating government officials or Amazon employees in an attempt to
scam people out of their money. Despite the introduction of new
technology called STIR/SHAKEN by Canada's telecom regulator, the
CRTC, in late 2021, which was meant to detect calls that use spoofed or
altered phone numbers, the problem persists. STIR/SHAKEN was only
ever intended to be a partial solution and has yet to be fully implemented.
Alain Garneau, the CRTC's director of telecommunications enforcement,
admits that there is no easy solution to the problem, but believes that the
initiatives being brought forward can help reduce the number of spam calls.
Telecom companies were mandated to start using STIR/SHAKEN in
November 2021, but the problem is likely to persist for the foreseeable
future.
Vocabulary
Match the terms to their definitions

1. Scam calls
2. Fraudsters
3. Spam calls
4. Telecom regulator
5. Initiatives
6. Spoofed

a. Unwanted and unsolicited phone calls, often involving fraud or scams

b. Phone calls made with the intention of deceiving or defrauding the
recipient
c. An organization responsible for overseeing and regulating
telecommunications services
d. People who engage in fraudulent activities, such as scams or identity
theft
e. Falsified or altered in order to deceive or mislead
f. Actions or measures taken to address a problem or achieve a goal

True or False

1. Spam calls are also known as scam calls and are a frustrating part of
daily life for many people. True or false?
a) False
b) True
2. STIR/SHAKEN has completely eliminated the problem of spam calls since
its implementation in November 2021. True or false?
a) False
b) True
3. The introduction of new technology called STIR/SHAKEN by Canada's
telecom regulator, the CRTC, in late 2021 was meant to detect calls that
use spoofed or altered phone numbers.True or false?
a) False
b) True
Understand the Vocabulary
1. The company implemented several ___________________ to improve their
customer service.
2. I received a ________________ claiming to be from the IRS, but I knew it was a
scam.
3. I keep getting _________________ from unknown numbers trying to sell me
something.
4. The email appeared to be from my bank, but it was actually _________________
by a fraudster.
5. The police arrested several ____________________ for running a fake charity
scheme.
6. The _________________ fined the telecom company for violating regulations on
data privacy.
Answer Key
True or False
1. True
2. False
3. True
Understand the Vocabulary
1. The company implemented several *Initiatives* to improve their customer
service.
2. I received a *Scam calls* claiming to be from the IRS, but I knew it was a scam.
3. I keep getting *Spam calls* from unknown numbers trying to sell me
something.
4. The email appeared to be from my bank, but it was actually *Spoofed* by a
fraudster.
5. The police arrested several *Fraudsters* for running a fake charity scheme.
6. The *Telecom regulator* fined the telecom company for violating regulations
on data privacy.