State Attorneys General Urge Federal Action to Stop Illegal Robocalls, Spoofing

What’s the story?

• A coalition of 35 state Attorneys General have issued a joint letter to the Federal Communications Commission, urging the agency to allow phone companies to do more to block illegal robocalls and “neighbor spoofing.”
• Neighbor spoofing is a technique that allows calls to appear on a consumer’s caller ID as coming from a local phone number, no matter where the call actually originated.

 “Unwanted robocalls aren’t just a nuisance—they’re a means for scammers to take advantage of unsuspecting New Yorkers,” said the state’s AG, Barbara Underwood. “New Yorkers have been bombarded with these illegal robocall scams – including the all-too-common spoofed calls that appear to come from a neighbor – and it’s time for federal action.”

What did the letter say? What's the FCC's response?

• The AGs explained in their letter that because spoofing allows scammers to disguise their identities, it’s difficult for law enforcement to bring them to justice:

“Virtually anyone can send millions of illegal robocalls and frustrate law enforcement with just a computer, inexpensive software, and an internet connection.”

• In response to the letter, the FCC said it “is considering taking additional action to empower service providers to block illegal robocalls,” a spokesperson wrote in an email to Consumer Reports. 

What legislation already exists?

• In January 2017, the House – with broad bipartisan support – passed a bill that would ban telemarketers from spoofing their identity in text messages. It still awaits a vote in the Senate.  
• In November 2017, the FCC issued the 2017 Call Blocking Order, which will allow phone companies to proactively block certain calls that come from suspect phone numbers (e.g., invalid numbers, valid numbers not allocated to a voice service provider). Phone companies will be ready to launch this new authentication method in 2019.

What do you think?

“The robocall problem is out of control, and it’s time for the FCC and the phone companies to take more action, so all consumers have the protections they deserve,” says Maureen Mahoney, a policy analyst for Consumers Union, the advocacy division of Consumer Reports.

Do you agree? Is the FCC doing enough to combat robocalls and spoofing? Do you want the Senate to vote on the Anti-Spoofing Act of 2017? Take action, and share your thoughts below.

—Josh Herman

(Photo Credit: iStockphoto.com / Oleksii Spesyvtsev)