Phone scams are still a popular way for criminals to steal money or even identities from unsuspecting Americans. According to a survey by TrueCaller, approximately 27 million Americans (11% of the adult population) were victimized by phone scams in 2015. Total losses to phone scams in that year were $7.4 billion, or an average loss of nearly $274 per victim.

Criminals are usually one step ahead of the police and other entities protecting everyday citizens. This might be true; however, the advent of the internet has made it possible for law enforcement to crack down on pe…