Buchanan wants crackdown on illegal robocalls. Here are some ways to protect yourself
The Federal Communications Commission calls them their No. 1 consumer complaint: unwanted calls, including illegal and spoofed robocalls.
They have become so intrusive and persistent that U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan on Monday urged a congressional committee to hold a public hearing into the growing problem.
In a letter to the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which regulates the telephone industry, Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, said restrictions enacted by Congress two years ago may be inadequate and in need of revision.
How low will scammers go? Pretty low.
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody warned consumers last month that scammers were making phone calls asking for money in return for making a COVID-19 appointment. In September, the Manatee Sheriff’s Office reported someone was calling residents and falsely telling them they had missed jury duty and directing them to make a payment to a fraudulent web site. Then there are the scams relating to Social Security. The list of dirty tricks seems endless.
“It’s time to silence these calls once and for all,” Buchanan said in a press release, noting they present a particular problem for vulnerable seniors.
“Our senior citizens are high-priority targets for scam artists and unscrupulous actors,” Buchanan said. “It’s critical we do everything in our power to protect seniors from fraudulent robocalls.
“These are more than just a minor inconvenience, phone scams can defraud innocent Americans out of their life savings especially vulnerable seniors,” Buchanan said.
The leading types of illegal robocalls involved health scams and car warranty pitches.
Robocalls are up 15 percent over the past year with 4.6 billion of these unwanted calls made in February alone, including 386 million in Florida, according to the new report by robocall-blocking app YouMail.
If the current trend continues, more than 51 billion robocalls will be sent out this year, exceeding 2020’s annual total by 12 percent, Buchanan said, citing estimates from YouMail.
Two years ago, Congress passed the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act in an attempt to crack down on the growth of these illegal calls.
“A hearing would also provide the committee an opportunity to update the public on the implementation of call authentication technology that was required under the bill. Rigorous oversight is needed to help determine if the TRACED Act is falling short of its goals of protecting the American people from unwanted, disruptive, fraudulent, and/or potentially harmful telephone solicitations,” Buchanan wrote.
The letter was addressed to Chairman Frank Pallone, D-N.J., and ranking member Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash.
According to the FCC (https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/stop-unwanted-robocalls-and-texts), here are some ways you can protect yourself from robocalls:
- Check out the consumer guide on Call Blocking Tools and Resources, which includes information on many of the call blocking and labeling tools currently available to consumers.
- Learn more about FCC Initiatives to Combat Robocalls and Spoofing and download the FCC Report on Robocalls.
- File a complaint with the FCC if you believe you have received an illegal call or text, or if you think you’re the victim of a spoofing scam. Click the tabs below for tips, FAQs and resources.
