Last month Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced a multi-faceted agenda to combat unwanted robocalls (read more here).

On April 13, 2021, the Acting Chairwoman fired a second salvo in the ongoing battle, announcing the agency’s “latest efforts to protect consumers from unwanted and scam robocalls and spoofed calls” https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-371553A1.pdf. The latest efforts include the following three components:

• First – “In anticipation of the agency’s second Call Blocking Report, the FCC’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau issued a Public Notice and sent letters to major phone companies and third-party developers of call blocking tools to get updated information about their efforts to enable customers to block unwanted calls. The Bureau seeks to learn more about the tools available to consumers, their effectiveness, and any potential impact on 911 services and public safety.”

• Second – “The FCC also sent robocall cease-and-desist letters to two companies that appear to be transmitting multiple unlawful robocall campaigns that market auto warranties and credit card debt reduction service, or claim, falsely, to be from the Social Security Administration or other well-known companies.… Today’s letters follow a batch of six cease-and-desist letters sent by the agency last month.”

• Third – “[T]he agency launched a new effort to itemize the completion of the FCC’s work to protect consumers from illegal robocalls, using the tools Congress gave [the agency] in the TRACED Act. The new webpage outlines the agency’s progress in using its strengthened enforcement authority, progress on updated call blocking rules, and steps taken to implement new Caller ID authentication technology. It also details the agency’s work to address one-ring scams, protect hospitals from illegal robocalls, and establish a reassigned numbers database.”