Attorney General Daniel Cameron has joined a coalition of 51 attorneys general in sending a letter to the Federal Communications Commission, supporting the agency’s efforts to reduce the access illegal robocallers’ have to legitimate phone numbers.
According to a news release, phone companies were required earlier this year to implement a caller ID authentication technology to combat spoofing by ensuring that telephone calls originate from verified numbers. Because the technology prevents robocallers from spoofing phone numbers, scam robocalls have dropped by 29 percent since June, when the policy took effect.
However, robocallers are now successfully evading caller ID authentication by purchasing access to legitimate phone numbers to conceal their identities. They typically do this by providing false information to, or otherwise shielding their identities from, the companies that have access to legitimate numbers.
In their letter, the attorneys general support the FCC’s proposals to implement a more thorough application, review, and monitoring process for phone companies that request direct access to phone numbers. The coalition also supports the FCC’s efforts to require these companies to verify their customers’ identities to help keep the numbers from being sold, leased, or rented to illegal robocallers. This includes limiting the use of both temporary phone numbers for trial customers and untraceable payment mechanisms.