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. 

In the last year, Oklahomans have filed 26,262 Do Not Call complaints with the Federal Trade Commission. While all of those calls may not be illegal, more than half of those reported were robocalls. 

Drummond and the coalition of attorneys general sent a letter to the FCC last week asking for measures to be taken to strengthen the Robocall Mitigation Database. The letter suggests these actions: making clear what information needs to be submitted by providers and a deadline for those submissions, validating the data providers submit to flag inaccurate or misleading data, penalizing providers for submitting false or inadequate information by denying authorization to operate, and blocking non-compliant providers. 

“Illegal robocalls aren't just a nuisance – they are a direct threat to Oklahomans,” Drummond said. “By strengthening these protections, we can shut down these scammers and ensure our communities stay safe from predatory schemes.” 

Drummond, a member of the Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force, has been committed to actively investigating and pursuing enforcement actions against entities identified as being responsible for illegal and fraudulent robocall traffic. 

He is joined in sending the letter to the FCC with the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming and the District of Columbia. 

Read the letter.