The FCC will issue a long-awaited ruling this week that could help stop endless robocalls, scam text messages and telemarking calls to peoples’ phones. One of the key proposals in the proposed rule change would allow phone carriers to implement call-blocking technologies to screen robocalls before they reach peoples’ landlines. This technology has existed for some time, but the FCC’s current rules have prevented phone carriers from offering the service. Zoeller and his fellow attorneys general have been urging the FCC to make this and other telephone privacy updates for years.
Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller is asking Hoosiers to call or email the FCC and urge the agency to approve the new rules and protect telephone privacy rights. Contact information for the FCC can be found here. A full copy of the FCC’s proposals which are scheduled to be heard June 18 can be found here.
“Because most phone scams and robocalls originate oversees, it is very difficult for states to put a stop to this harassment despite our continued efforts,†Zoeller said. “I am calling on all Hoosiers to let their voices be heard and put pressure on the FCC to fix these outdated rules.â€
Unwanted calls and telephone harassment remain the most common complaint received by the Indiana Attorney General’s Office, with more than 13,000 complaints filed last year.
Zoeller encourages everyone to sign up for Indiana’s Do Not Call list by visiting www.IndianaConsumer.com or calling 1.888.834.9969. Individuals do not need to re-register unless their address has changed.
Below are some tips to follow to avoid getting scammed by an unwanted caller:
Don’t let a telephone solicitor pressure you to make an immediate decision.
Ask for a caller’s contact information and tell them you will call them back. Verify that the number they give you is tied to a legitimate company by doing your own research.
Do not wire any money or make payments over the phone unless you have independently verified the caller.
Hang up on recorded message calls or “robocalls.†Don’t press any numbers.
For more tips on avoiding telephone scams, click here.
People who receive an unwanted call or are targeted by a phone scam can file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office by visiting www.IndianaConsumer.com or calling 1.888.834.9969.
