Nessel Joins National Push Against Robocalls

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is pushing for better protections against robocalls. On Tuesday, according to a press release from the Attorney General’s Office, Nessel urged the Federal Communications Commission to fight back against the scourge of illegal robocalls; pressing to move up the deadline for smaller telephone companies to implement caller ID technology.

"This caller ID technology will be an essential and useful tool in helping consumers feel confident about who is on the other end of the line when they answer a call,” Nessel said. “I am urging the FCC to accelerate the deadline to implement this technology and help us minimize these illegal robocalls.”

Get our free mobile app

The TRACED Act, passed in 2019, requires phone companies to implement STIR/SHAKEN technology on their networks. The benefit of this technology is that it helps ensure that telephone calls are originating from verified numbers, not spoofed sources. Although large companies were required to implement the technology by June 2021, smaller phone companies were given an extension until June 2023.

However, the Attorney General’s office points out that some of these smaller phone companies benefiting from this extension are the very companies responsible for originating or facilitating high volumes of illegal robocalls. Those calls lead to financial or personal data loss for victims. Given these facts, the Attorney Generals of all states are joining Nessel, asking the FCC to cut back that extension by a year; requiring those small companies to implement STIR/SHAKEN technology no later than June 30, 2022. A copy of their letter can be found here.