Kentucky Attorney general form task force targeting use of robocalls

Service providers could be in violation of state and federal laws

(Story Courtesy of Kentucky Today)

FRANKFORT, Ky. (KT) – Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman and a bipartisan coalition of 51 attorneys general of the Anti-Robocall Multistate Litigation Task Force are warning multiple voice service providers they could be in violation of state and federal laws by continuing to route robocalls across their networks.

In addition to the warning notices that demanded the companies stop transmitting illegal robocalls, the task force has also shared its concerns about these providers with the Federal Communications Commission. 

Last year, Coleman and other members of the Task Force called on the FCC to improve the Robocall Mitigation Database (RMD).  According to a robocall index, Kentuckians received 58 million robocalls in March of this year.   

“Kentuckians continue to be the target of unlawful robocalls, which can be everything from annoying to downright predatory,” Coleman said. “Along with attorneys general across the country, we’re fighting back against those who try to take advantage of Kentuckians.” 

The task force sent warning letters to nine companies detailing information on the Task Force’s investigation and providing an analysis of each provider’s illegal and/or suspicious robocall traffic. Those companies receiving letters were: 

Global Net Holdings, All Access Telecom, Lingo Telecom, NGL Communications, Range, RSCom Ltd., Telcast Network, ThinQ Technologies and Telcentris.

One of the laws companies are accused of violating, deals with “spoofing” of Caller ID numbers.

Under the federal Truth in Caller ID Act, it is generally unlawful for a person to “knowingly transmit misleading or inaccurate caller identification information with the intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongfully obtain anything of value.” State Attorneys General have the authority to bring enforcement actions for violations of the Truth in Caller ID Act and its prohibition against illegal caller identification spoofing. Such violative conduct can lead to assessments of civil penalties of up to $10,000 for each violation, or three times that amount for each day of continuing violations.

Note that any penalties for violations of the Truth in Caller ID Act are in addition to those assessed for any other penalties provided for in the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.