RICHMOND, Va. - Attorney General Jason Miyares asked the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) to enact strict measures to help curb illegal and fraudulent robocalls.
According to the FCC, robocalls cost about $13.5 billion every year and often originate from overseas scam artists masked by U.S. based phone numbers. As a result, the FCC is looking to expand the precautions telephone providers use to screen calls that were once routed through telephone networks nationwide.
“Robocalls aren’t just annoying – they are illegal tools used to take advantage of the most vulnerable in our communities. We have to do more to protect Virginians from these scammers, which is why I’m encouraging the FCC to require more robocall protection technology,” said Attorney General Miyares.
In the letter from Att. Gen. Miyares and the bipartisan coalition of 50 other attorney generals, they expressed support of the FCC’s proposal to extend the implementation a caller ID authentication technology called “STIR/SHAKEN”. The technology will be used to screen fraudulent calls sent to phone providers that originate call traffic.
The coalition also encourages the FCC to enforce measures such as responding to law enforcement traceback requests within 24 hours and blocking illegal traffic.
For more information and a copy of the letter click here.
