Fifty attorneys general across the United States have formed a bipartisan nationwide anti-robocall litigation taskforce. The initiative’s primary focus will be to cut down on illegal robocalls.
Americans receive over 33 million scam robocalls every day, according to the National Consumer Law Center and Electronic Privacy Information Center. They estimate that approximately $29.8 billion dollars were stolen through scam calls in 2021. Popular scams include Amazon scams against consumers and Social Security Administration fraud targeting seniors. The task force will investigate and pursue legal action against telecommunication companies that bring foreign robocalls into the country. To date, 20 civil investigative demands have been issued to 20 entities allegedly responsible for the majority of foreign robocall traffic.
“Robocall scammers are relentless,” said Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro. “The best way for us to fight back against them is by working together to track their behavior across the country. I’m dedicated to doing all that I can do to ensure these calls stop plaguing Pennsylvanians.”
The Attorney General’s office recommends residents take the following precautions to help protect themselves from robocall scammers:
- Be wary of callers who specifically ask you to pay by gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency.
- Look out for prerecorded calls from imposters posing as government agencies.
- If you suspect fraudulent activity, immediately hang up and do not provide any personal information.
Pennsylvanians are encouraged to report all suspicious robocalls to the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection by visiting OAG’s website, emailing scams@attorneygeneral.gov, or calling 1-800-441-2555.
