Forty-six states are pressing the Federal Communications Commission to do more to crack down on robocalls. Specifically, the states are asking the FCC to improve its Robocall Mitigation Database and close what has effectively been an unmonitored loophole that bad actors exploit to contact consumers with unwanted phone calls and text messages.
“We have made it clear that robocalls are not welcome here, and I am proud to stand with my colleagues in this coalition to announce an important action in the fight against illegal, nuisance robocalls,” said Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry.
Telecom companies that provide telephone services are required to register under the FCC’s database. However, since the database launched in 2021, the states claim that there has been little maintenance done to ensure bad actors do not have access to the U.S. telephone network.
According to the coalition of states, telecom providers have submitted non-vetted information and voice service providers have faced no real consequences for filing inaccurate, false, misleading, or otherwise incomplete information.
In response to an FCC public notice seeking comments on proposals to increase accountability and accuracy among filings in the database, the states said much of the information in the Robocall Mitigation Database is clearly false.
“State attorneys general applaud the Commission’s efforts to improve the quality of RMD entries and increase accountability for providers who exploit our residents by facilitating fraudulent or otherwise illegal robocalls,” The states said in a filing.
“The RMD can and should be more than a mere formality that bad actors glibly disregard. The undersigned State AGs write in support of the Commission’s proposals to improve this vital tool in the fight to protect American consumers.”
Biggest complaint
The FCC says the number one complaint it receives from consumers is about robocalls and other unwanted calls. These include complaints from consumers whose numbers are being spoofed or whose calls are being mistakenly blocked or labeled as a possible scam call by a robocall blocking app or service.
In response, the FCC said it is issuing hundreds of millions of dollars in enforcement actions against illegal robocallers; empowering phone companies to block by default illegal or unwanted calls based on reasonable call analytics before the calls reach consumers; and allowing consumer options on tools to block calls from any number that doesn't appear on a customer's contact list or other "white list."
According to YouMail, a spam-blocking app, the overall robocall volume grew in 2023 at a rate of 9% over 2022, with just over 55 billion robocalls vs. 50.3 billion in 2022.