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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