FCC Enforcement Chief Cites Efforts to Coordinate Global Fight Against Robocalling
Robocalling and unwanted texts are a global problem requiring international coordination, FCC Enforcement Bureau Chief Travis LeBlanc said in a Monday blog post. In the U.S., more than 200,000 consumers complain to the commission each year about unwanted calls, including…
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robocalls and telemarketing, and about 2.4 billion robocalls are made monthly according to the Robocall Index, he wrote, saying such calls "are used to perpetrate criminal fraud, phishing attacks, and identity theft" all over the world. "Those responsible for sending unwanted calls and texts often operate from outside of the United States, too often allowing them to evade our enforcement," said LeBlanc. He said the FCC works with international law enforcement partners and other regulatory agencies to combat illegal calls and texts and hold perpetrators accountable. Earlier this year, the agency signed a memorandum of understanding with members of the Unsolicited Communications Enforcement Network, a global network of "robo-cops" that share intelligence and best practices (see 1606140041). LeBlanc noted the commission last week signed a robocalling MOU with Canadian regulators (see 1611170054), and will continue to work with other federal and state agencies domestically.