Attorney General Ford Announces the Formation of a Nationwide Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force


August 2, 2022

Carson City, NV – Today, Attorney General Aaron D. Ford announced that Nevada is joining a nationwide Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force of 50 attorneys general to investigate and take legal action against the telecommunications companies responsible for bringing a majority of foreign robocalls into the United States. This bipartisan nationwide Task Force has one goal: to cut down on illegal robocalls.  

“The ongoing scourge of robocalls has defrauded Nevadans and Americans as a whole out of millions, and we will take every step necessary to cut down on these scams,” said AG Ford. “I’m proud to stand with my counterparts across the country to stand up for the rights of our citizens to be free of harassment.”

The Task Force has issued 20 civil investigative demands to 20 gateway providers and other entities that are allegedly responsible for a majority of foreign robocall traffic. Gateway providers that bring foreign traffic into the U.S. telephone network have a responsibility to ensure the traffic is legal, but these providers are not taking sufficient action to stop robocall traffic. In many cases, they appear to be intentionally turning a blind eye in return for steady revenue. The Task Force will focus on the bad actors throughout the telecommunications industry, to help reduce the number robocalls and benefit the companies that are following the rules.

Since day one in office, Attorney General Ford has been committed to stopping illegal and unwanted calls. According to the National Consumer Law Center and Electronic Privacy Information Center, over 33 million scam robocalls are made to Americans every day. These scam calls include Social Security Administration imposter fraud against seniors, corporate imposter scams against consumers and a multitude of other scams targeting all kinds of individuals. An estimated $29.8 billion was stolen through scam calls in 2021. Most of these scam robocalls originate overseas. The Task Force is focused on shutting down the providers that profit from this illegal scam traffic and refuse to take steps to otherwise mitigate these scam calls. 

Attorney General Ford offers the following tips to avoid scams and unwanted calls:

Be wary of callers who specifically ask you to pay by gift card, wire transfer or cryptocurrency. Scammers will use pressure tactics to push for immediate payment, often through gift cards or your financial account numbers. Legitimate businesses and government agencies will never ask for immediate payment over the phone.

Look out for prerecorded calls from imposters posing as government agencies. Government entities such as the IRS and the Social Security Administration will not threaten to arrest you – a common pressure tactic employed by scam callers.

If you suspect fraudulent activity, do not provide any personal information and immediately hang up. If you’re unsure, hang up and call the agency or business the caller claimed to be affiliated with.

Those who believe they have been the victim of fraud, deception or an unfair business practice can file a complaint with the Office of the Attorney General here.

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