Att'y Gen. Drummond calls on FCC to strengthen process blocking more robocallers

Drummond calls on FCC to strengthen process blocking more robocallers

OKLAHOMA CITY (Nov. 18, 2024) – Attorney General Gentner Drummond is urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to improve its Robocall Mitigation Database that could reduce illegal robocalls. He is working with 46 other attorneys general to close a loophole in the database that allows bad actors to have access to the U.S. telephone network. 

Registration on the FCC’s Robocall Mitigation Database is required to operate as a voice service provider. Since it went live in 2021, however, the database has done little to prevent scammers from obtaining legitimate registrations to make illegal robocalls. Companies have submitted non-vetted information, and voice service providers have faced no consequences for filing inaccurate, false, misleading or incomplete information. 

Legislature passes bill to restrict telemarketing calls

Sounds nice, and also totally unenforceable. 🤷‍♂️

Senate votes to hang up on annoying solicitation calls; sends bill to governor

OKLAHOMA CITY (April 26th) – Oklahomans could be getting fewer irritating solicitation calls thanks to legislation unanimously approved Tuesday by the Senate. House Bill 3168, by Sen. Bill Coleman, R-Ponca City, creates the Telephone Solicitation Act of 2022, which would prohibit numerous types of marketing calls and set strict parameters on when others can be made.

AG O'Connor urges effort to stop robocalls from misusing legit phone numbers

Attorney General John O'Connor Urges Effort to Stop Robocallers From Misusing Legitimate Phone Numbers

OKLAHOMA CITY (Nov. 15th) - Attorney General John O'Connor today wrote the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in support of its efforts to reduce illegal robocallers’ access to legitimate phone numbers to make unending robocalls that scam people out of their hard-earned money. The comment letter to the FCC was led by North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein and Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody.

"Illegal robocalls are not only a nuisance but can also lead to Oklahomans falling victim to fraud and scams. I'm proud to join this coalition of attorneys general to urge the FCC to take action to prevent and investigate illegal robocalls," said Attorney General John O'Connor. 

Earlier this year, phone companies were required to implement STIR/SHAKEN – caller ID authentication technology to combat spoofing by ensuring that telephone calls originate from verified numbers. Because the technology prevents robocallers from spoofing phone numbers, scam robocalls have dropped by 29 percent since June as the phone industry continues to put STIR/SHAKEN into effect.

Robocallers are now successfully evading caller ID authentication by purchasing access to legitimate phone numbers to conceal their identities. They typically do this by providing false identifying information to, or otherwise shielding their identities from, the companies that have access to legitimate numbers. 

OK Attorney Gen O’Connor calls for faster implementation of Anti-Robocall technology

Attorney General O’Connor Calls for Faster Implementation of Anti-Robocall Technology

OKLAHOMA CITY - Attorney General John O’Connor today urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to fight back against illegal robocalls and caller ID spoofing by moving up the deadline for telephone companies to implement caller ID technology.

The current deadline for compliance for some companies isn’t until June 2023.

Attorney general O’Connor said the deadline is too far away.

“Oklahomans are being victimized by these unlawful robocalls and spoofing,” Attorney General O’Connor said. “That is why the deadline for companies to comply needs to be sooner than later. Oklahomans, mainly our elderly, who are our most vulnerable are being preyed upon and in some instances having their identities stolen or having money stolen from them. That is why I joined the large, bipartisan group of my colleagues to encourage the FCC to move up the deadline.”

There were 51 attorneys general who signed the letter to the FCC.

AG Hunter applauds Congress for passing legislation to reduce spam calls

Attorney General Hunter Applauds Congress for Passing Legislation to Cut Down on Robocalls

OKLAHOMA CITY (December 20, 2019) – Attorney General Mike Hunter today released the following statement, applauding members of both Congressional chambers for passing legislation that will cut down on robocalls.

The Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act requires service providers to verify incoming calls are legitimate before reaching consumers, and gives the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) more ability to impose and collect fines for illegal calls. Violators could be fined up to $10,000.

The legislation is expected to be signed by the president.

Attorney General Hunter said he is encouraged to see this important piece of legislation pass with bipartisan support.

“I commend members of the House of Representatives and the Senate for working together in getting the TRACED Act to the president’s desk,” Attorney General Hunter said. “One of the biggest consumer complaints I hear from Oklahomans is about the volume of robocalls they receive. This meaningful legislation will have a tremendous impact in reversing that trend and will better protect consumers. I look forward to continued partnership with the FCC once the bill is signed into law.”

Read details of the TRACED Act, here: https://bit.ly/2EQIxVP.

Part of the legislation requires attorneys general to partner with the FCC to form an interagency task force to study government prosecution of robocall violation.

The task force will determine how federal law and budgetary constraints inhibit enforcement of the robocall violations; identify existing and additional policies and programs to increase coordination between federal departments and agencies and the states for enforcing and preventing violations of the robocall violations; and identify existing and potential international policies and programs to improve coordination between countries in enforcing robocall violations and similar laws.

Attorney General Hunter has taken several significant steps over the last year to combat robocalls, including working across state lines with his attorneys general colleagues, meetings with federal officials, including FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, and issuing consumer alerts when robocalls target specific areas of the state, among other things.

 According to the call blocking company YouMail, last month alone Oklahomans received 59.3 million robocalls, which is a rate of over 82,000 per hour.

Attorney General Hunter Urges Congress to Take Action Against Robocalls

Attorney General Hunter Urges Congress to Take Action Against Robocalls

OKLAHOMA CITY – Attorney General Hunter, along with 53 other attorneys general, have sent a letter to the heads of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, urging action on federal legislation that would effectively address illegal scam calls.

The bipartisan legislation, titled the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act, would require service providers to adopt technology that verifies that incoming calls are legitimate before they reach consumers’ phones and allows the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to fine telemarketers up to $10,000 per prohibited call.

Attorney General Hunter said the legislation also directs federal consumer protection and law enforcement agencies to work alongside state attorneys general to find ways to combat the calls and prosecute individuals or groups making them.

“Attorneys general are uniquely positioned and are on the front line in our states in terms of protecting consumers,” Attorney General Hunter said. “This commonsense legislation will allow us to better partner with federal agencies to come up with solutions that work best for each individual state. It will also help reduce the number of scam calls through technology, while imposing greater penalties on those making the calls.

“My attorneys general colleagues and I encourage quick passage of this legislation to cut down on these scams and better protect Americans.”

In the letter, attorneys general write the estimated number of illegal robocalls received last year reached nearly 48 billion.

“Since illegal robocalls continue to frustrate and harm consumers every day, we are encouraged that the TRACED Act prioritizes timely, industry-wide implementation of call authentication protocols,” the letter reads.

Attorney General Hunter was joined on the letter by the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Read the letter, here: https://bit.ly/2tQdVOm.