# Stopping Phone Scams

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/easy-prey-456730/stopping-phone-scams
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/easy-prey-456730/stopping-phone-scams.md
Podcast: [Easy Prey](https://stenobird.com/podcast/easy-prey-456730)
Published: 2026-03-11T11:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.easyprey.com/314
Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/easyprey/EP314.mp3?dest-id=1655398
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/easy-prey-456730/episodes/stopping-phone-scams
Duration seconds: 2716

## Resource

Phone scams get dismissed as background noise or just annoying interruptions and unknown numbers with robotic voices we learn to ignore. But behind that noise is an industry built on psychology, automation, and staggering profitability. My guest today is Alex Quilici. He's an engineer, entrepreneur, and the CEO of YouMail, a company focused on protecting consumers and businesses from unwanted and fraudulent calls. Alex has spent years analyzing how robocalls and scam campaigns are designed, how they evolve, and why they continue to work despite better technology and increased awareness. What began as a voicemail platform shifted into fraud prevention after users unintentionally revealed a powerful truth that even small friction can disrupt scam operations. He shares how his own father got pulled into a tech support scam which cemented his mission to move beyond blocking calls and toward tracing and stopping scams closer to their source. We talk about how scam calls are engineered, the tactics that trigger panic and urgency, and how criminals use data breaches, AI tools, and impersonation to sound convincing. We also explore what's changing, including fewer random calls, more targeted attacks, rising text and messaging scams, and the difficult balance between stopping fraud and allowing legitimate calls through. Alex shares practical ways consumers and businesses can reduce risk, along with a candid look at why this problem is so persistent and where it's likely heading next. Show Notes: [2:23] Alex explains how YouMail shifted from a voicemail company into fraud prevention after noticing users using an out-of-service message to deter robocallers. [3:25] Discussion turns to robocall volume, with Alex estimating billions of calls per day and roughly five billion robocall…

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## Transcript

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