Six more state attorneys general, as well as the attorney general for Washington D.C., are partnering with the FCC to investigate illegal robocalls, while two others strengthened existing agreements.
The Attorneys General and the FCC inked Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) that establish information sharing and cooperation agreements between the regulator and state robocall law enforcement officials as they investigate spoofing and robocall scam campaigns.
There are now such 22 state-federal partnerships as Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Idaho, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Wyoming joined the other 15 state partners working to attempt to combat the continuing proliferation of robocall scams. Additionally, the FCC expanded existing MOUs with Michigan and West Virginia robocall investigators.
Under the MOUs, the FCC offers enforcement staff expertise and resources for investigations, during which both the FCC and state investigators interview witnesses, target companies, examine consumer complaints and take other steps to build cases against violators of robocall regulations.
“The FCC and these state leaders share a common enemy: robocall scammers targeting consumers and businesses around the country,” said Jessica Rosenworcel, FCC chairwoman, in a prepared statement. about the FCC illegal robocalls efforts. “My team’s commitment to protecting consumers fits hand-in-glove with state Attorneys Generals’ ongoing efforts to combat these scams. We share a goal – to protect consumers – and with these agreements, we can also share the tools needed to achieve it.”
The FCC is continuing to be more proactive in its attempts to combat the growing robocall problem, with new defenses like STIR/SHAKEN, and large fines. Just last month, the FCC issued its largest fine to date against a company conducting illegal robocalls.
