Continues work to protect consumers from unwanted robocalls 

November 16, 2024 – OAKLAND, CA – California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Thursday joined a bipartisan coalition of 47 attorneys general in submitting a comment letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in support of its proposed rules designed to protect consumers from illegal robocalls by increasing the effectiveness of the FCC’s Robocall Mitigation Database. The FCC currently requires all voice-service providers operating in the U.S. to provide this public FCC database with information regarding their caller-ID authentication system and a detailed robocall-mitigation plan to minimize illegal call traffic. The proposed FCC rules would strengthen these filing requirements and increase penalties for noncompliance. In the letter, the attorneys general argue that these proposals aimed at increasing accountability and accuracy among filers are necessary for the database to remain an effective tool in the fight against unwanted robocalls.

"Robocalls are not only annoying, they can also facilitate scams that result in real financial losses for Californians. This is a nationwide problem, and we need nationwide solutions," said Attorney General Bonta. "The Robocall Mitigation Database is an essential resource to combat illegal robocalls and should treated as more than just a formality. I am proud to join this bipartisan effort to ensure the tools in our toolbox remain effective in fighting robocalls and protecting consumers."

The Robocall Mitigation Database is an anti-robocall public database tool created by the FCC. The FCC proposal aims to make reporting information to the database — and the database itself — more effective by implementing policies to identify deficient filings, requiring the correction of flawed filings, and enforcing consequences for filings that are, false, incomplete, or misleading. In the letter, the attorneys general express support for the proposal and recognize it as an important continuation of bipartisan work to protect consumers from illegal and fraudulent robocall traffic. 

Attorney General Bonta is committed to enforcing consumer protections in the state of California and speaking out for consumer protections nationwide, including working to put a stop to illegal robocalls. Attorney General Bonta is part of the Anti-Robocall Multistate Litigation Task Force, a task force of 51 bipartisan attorneys general who investigate and take legal action against those responsible for routing significant volumes of illegal robocall traffic into and across the United States. 

•  Last month, Attorney General Bonta issued a warning letter to a telecom company responsible for transmitting suspected illegal robocall traffic, including robocalls that impersonated government officials.
•  In February, Attorney General Bonta joined a coalition of 51 bipartisan attorneys general in issuing a warning letter to a company that allegedly sent New Hampshire residents scam election robocalls during the New Hampshire primary election. 
• In January, Attorney General Bonta filed a comment letter responding to the FCC related to the potential impact of emerging artificial intelligence technology on efforts to protect consumers from illegal robocalls and robotexts.
• In May 2023, Attorney General Bonta, as part of a bipartisan coalition of 49 attorneys general, announced a lawsuit against Avid Telecom for allegedly initiating and facilitating billions of unlawful robocalls that included Social Security Administration scams, Medicare scams, and employment scams.

In sending Thursday’s letter, Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of North Carolina, Illinois, Ohio, Arkansas, Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and the District of Columbia.

A copy of the comment letter is available here. 

Source: CA DOJ