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* From earlier this month…

Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced that Illinois is joining a nationwide Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force of 50 state attorneys general to investigate and take legal action against the telecommunications companies responsible for bringing a majority of foreign robocalls into the United States. This bipartisan national task force has one goal: to cut down on illegal robocalls.

“Robocalls aren’t just an Illinois problem. They are a nationwide problem. That is why I am proud to join my fellow attorneys general in launching this task force,” Raoul said. “Robocalls cost consumers time and money, as well as violate their privacy. I will continue to protect the rights of Illinois consumers by fighting against this illegal practice.”

The task force has issued 20 civil investigative demands to 20 gateway providers and other entities that are allegedly responsible for a majority of foreign robocall traffic. Gateway providers that bring foreign traffic into the U.S. telephone network have a responsibility to ensure the traffic is legal, but these providers are not taking sufficient action to stop robocall traffic. In many cases, they appear to be intentionally turning a blind eye in return for steady revenue. The task force will focus on the bad actors throughout the telecommunications industry, to help reduce the number of robocalls that Illinois residents receive, which will also benefit the companies that are following the rules.

Raoul is committed to stopping illegal and unwanted calls. According to the National Consumer Law Center and Electronic Privacy Information Center, over 33 million scam robocalls are made to Americans every day. These scam calls include Social Security Administration fraud against seniors, Amazon scams against consumers, and many other scams targeting all consumers, including some of our most vulnerable residents. An estimated $29.8 billion was stolen through scam calls in 2021. Most of this scam robocall traffic originates overseas. The task force is focused on shutting down the providers that profit from this illegal scam traffic and refuse to take steps to otherwise mitigate these scam calls.

* Stateline.org…

Nothing has been able to kill scam robocalls — not federal regulation, not individual state lawsuits, not private software. Each effort has made a dent, but the unwanted calls keep on coming, much to the consternation of Americans on the receiving end.

Now, all 50 state attorneys general, Republicans and Democrats, have come together through a newly formed task force to go after U.S. telecommunications companies that allow robocalls originating overseas to reach their customers.

Stopping nuisance calls from foreign countries has been particularly challenging. The AGs have put telecom companies on notice that they must stop the scam calls before they go through to customers, or face prosecution. Experts say that strategy just might work. […]

“The problem has been that the (Federal Communications Commission) fines someone … one at a time, or one AG shuts down a carrier,” [Alex Quilici, CEO of YouMail, a robocall-blocking software company] said. “Now, it’s 50 going after them and 50 court proceedings and 50 fines. I’m optimistic that this will make some impact. Enforcement really is key.”

* The Question: Your worst robocall experience?

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Aug 16, 22 @ 1:09 pm

Comments

I usually ignore all calls I don’t recognize. But the last few weeks I have been anticipating calls related to a job search which is forcing me to answer. Doesn’t waste more than a few seconds, but is definitely frustrating

Comment by Sox Fan Tuesday, Aug 16, 22 @ 1:14 pm
I missed an actual important message about my car’s warranty amidst all the dross. /s

Actual answers is that I’ve accidentally hung up on plenty of calls trying snooze robocalls. It’s annoying and embarrassing. Thankfully, cell phones are getting better at filtering them.

Comment by The Opinions Bureau Tuesday, Aug 16, 22 @ 1:15 pm
My phone has a “spam risk” alert that’s always right…

Comment by Friendly Bob Adams Tuesday, Aug 16, 22 @ 1:16 pm
A Kwame Raoul fundraising robocall… /s

Comment by PublicServant Tuesday, Aug 16, 22 @ 1:16 pm
Some of these are very good at spoofing the phone number they are allegedly calling from. For example, I get calls from a 312 number that also has the same 3 digit prefix as my work phone, which tells me this is someone I work with calling me. Spoiler alert: it isn’t.

Some calls get flagged with Spam Risk, but lots don’t. And I had no idea that my car warranty expired and I might be on the hook if it breaks down. Thankfully I was able to renew the warranty, so no problems for this guy.

I still have a landline with an old school answering machine. About once or twice a year, I hit the play button to hear Chinese spoken by native Chinese speakers.

When I retire, I’m thinking of spending my days calling random phones in China asking if their refrigerators are running. Or if they have Prince Albert in a can.

Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Aug 16, 22 @ 1:18 pm
My phone blocks but most but in the last few months I’ve gotten calls from a group that says they are raising funds for the Fraternal Order of Police. Each time they ask for Harry, I made the mistake of telling them they had the wrong number and they said, “well you probably would like to know this too”. Next two calls same thing, they ask for Harry.

Comment by Give Me A Break Tuesday, Aug 16, 22 @ 1:22 pm
Yes; almost every day I get robocalls, violations of the Do Not Call List, your auto warranty is expiring, etc. May go after one business that violated the DNCL since it is a real business and not exempt. Get them by landline and cellphone; still waiting for the IRS to come and arrest me because I ignored a robocall demanding money.

Comment by thisjustinagain Tuesday, Aug 16, 22 @ 1:30 pm
Not me, but a relative. Relative got a call from “Microsoft” saying there was a problem on their computer and “Microsoft” needed to remote in to fix it. “Microsoft” said it was cost $1,000. Relative was so proud when he talked them down to $500 and then gave them his credit card. We jumped in to stop him before they could get access to his computer.

Comment by Consultant101 Tuesday, Aug 16, 22 @ 1:31 pm
My neighbor, in his late 80s, gets lots of these calls. He doesn’t have a computer. Sometimes he gets a call about Microsoft or Amazon and he tells them that they are really looking for me and gives them my number. He does this in earnest because I sometimes order something on Amazon for him. I’ve told him to stop giving them my number and he says ok, ok, but then does it again the next time.

Comment by Trying to be Rational Tuesday, Aug 16, 22 @ 1:38 pm
I block all unknown numbers on my cell so this stops the calls in their tracks.Husband got hit with 30 calls within an hour and this continued for 4 hours one day. That is when he learned how to block unknown callers.

Comment by illinifan Tuesday, Aug 16, 22 @ 1:42 pm
My worst? All of them. But currently, the car warranty nonsense.

This approach by the AG’s locally is premised upon the idea of a “republic of states.” What would actually be required would be federal buy-in from the U.S. Congress (both houses). Only a federal law would empower AG’s to enforce such.

Comment by H-W Tuesday, Aug 16, 22 @ 1:49 pm
I no longer answer any calls on my cell phone unless I know the number or caller. I was getting too many calls and none of importance so I routinely block everything. That has significantly cut down on spam, although there’s still an occasional flareup. That’s when the blocking tool gets another workout. It’s past time for an aggressive, nationwide crackdown.

Comment by jackmac Tuesday, Aug 16, 22 @ 2:11 pm
I don’t know if it is the worst, but last week I got a couple of calls from the Hagemann (sp) campaign in Wyoming about the Republican primary there. At least they identified themselves in my caller id, unlike most other robocalls.

Comment by G'Kar Tuesday, Aug 16, 22 @ 2:14 pm
I will put out my reminder. If you do answer a call from an unknown caller, wait 3 seconds before you say hello. That will stop over 90% of robocalls as they interpret that as an answering machine.

Comment by Lurker Tuesday, Aug 16, 22 @ 2:18 pm
I don’t answer a call anymore unless I recognize the number.

Comment by clec dcn Tuesday, Aug 16, 22 @ 2:23 pm
===Relative got a call from “Microsoft”===

My wife got a call from a “nice man” offering to fix our internet connectivity which was pretty poor at the time. I luckily came home and intervened during the call before any money was exchanged but had to go to my favorite troubleshooter to remove the spyware the “nice man” had already managed to install.

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Tuesday, Aug 16, 22 @ 2:33 pm
There was a string of calls a few years ago claiming to be the IRS suing me. That was a good time.

Comment by Now I'm down in it. Tuesday, Aug 16, 22 @ 3:05 pm
Someone once spoofed my own cell phone number. It was creepy looking at my phone and seeing my own number supposedly calling me. Needless to say, I didn’t answer the call.

Comment by Bourbon Street Tuesday, Aug 16, 22 @ 3:27 pm
I hate that “calling on behalf of law enforcement” only to find out it’s a PAC. The dude with the deep voice who sounds like he’s your uncle crossed with wilfred brimley.

Comment by Eastern Bloc Gulag Tuesday, Aug 16, 22 @ 3:42 pm
Glad he is doing something. How about unemployment fraud payments

Comment by Early wynn Tuesday, Aug 16, 22 @ 4:33 pm