June 25, 2019
Carson City, NV – Today, Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford, in cooperation with the Federal Trade Commission and other federal, state, and local agencies, announced a major crackdown on illegal robocalls. The joint crackdown, “Operation Call it Quits,” is part of the Federal Trade Commission’s ongoing effort to help stem the tide of billions of universally loathed pre-recorded telemarketing calls. Federal, state, and local agencies participated in the initiative through a variety of tools, including enforcement actions and consumer education.
As part of the joint sweep, the Nevada Attorney General’s Office will share educational tips through a series of social media posts, including videos, designed to inform Nevada consumers of what actions they can take when they receive illegal robocalls and how they can identify robocall scams.
“We all know what it’s like to pick up the phone, only to hear an annoying prerecorded message attempting to scam you,” said AG Ford. “Like many Nevadans, I’ve had enough of these illegal scams. Protecting consumers from scams like this is one of my top priorities as Attorney General. I’m proud to join the Federal Trade Commission and agencies across the country to crackdown illegal robocalls.”
“We’re all fed up with the tens of billions of illegal robocalls we get every year,” said Andrew Smith, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Today’s joint effort shows that combatting this scourge remains a top priority for law enforcement agencies around the nation.”
Some tips that Nevada consumers can begin implementing today:
- Illegal robocallers may engage in “neighbor spoofing,” thereby making the number seem like it is coming from your area code to increase the chance you answer the call. Don’t feel pressured to answer immediately. Let them leave a message if you have concerns about the call being legitimate.
- Know that you can block illegal robocallers. If you are not sure how, talk to your carrier.
- Avoid pressing any numbers when you receive an illegal robocall as this can lead to even more robocalls.
- Report illegal numbers from suspected robocalls to the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov/complaint.
The Nevada Attorney General will share additional information via tweets, Facebook posts, and videos during the course of Operation Call it Quits.
In addition to Nevada, other federal, state and local partners include attorneys general offices for Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, Wyoming and Virginia; the Alaska Department of Law; the Consumer Protection Division of the District Attorney for the County of Los Angeles, California; the New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection; the Utah Department of Commerce’s Division of Consumer Protection; the Consumer Protection Divisions of the District Attorneys for the Counties of San Diego, Riverside, and Santa Clara, California; the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; the Los Angeles City Attorney; and the United States Attorneys’ Offices for the Northern District of Georgia, Middle District of Florida, and Southern District of Texas, with support from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
Earlier this year, the Nevada Attorney General joined a multistate coalition to support the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act.
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