LANSING (WWJ) -- In an effort to cut down on illegal robocalls, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is joining a nationwide task force.
Nessel announced that Michigan will be joining the Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force, which is comprised of 50 attorneys general, to investigate and take legal action against the telecommunications companies that are responsible for bringing a majority of foreign robocalls into the United States.
So far, 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 Nessel said these providers are not taking sufficient action to stop robocall traffic. In many cases, Nessel said they appear to be intentionally turning a blind eye in return for steady revenue.
"Robocalls aren't just a Michigan problem. They are a nationwide problem. That is why I am proud to join my fellow Attorneys General. We will take this fight to anyone who helps these scammers and robocallers. If the telecom industry won't police itself, the Task Force will," said Nessel.
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 fraud against seniors, Amazon scams against consumers and many other scams targeting all consumers, including some of our most vulnerable citizens.
An estimated $29.8 billion dollars was stolen through scam calls in 2021. Most of this scam robocall traffic originates 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.
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Follow these tips to avoid scams and unwanted calls:
• Be wary of callers who specifically ask you to pay by gift card, wire transfer or cryptocurrency. For example, the IRS does not accept iTunes gift cards.
• Look out for prerecorded calls from imposters posing as government agencies. Typically, the Social Security Administration does not make phone calls to individuals.
If you suspect fraudulent activity, immediately hang up and do not provide any personal information. Contact our Consumer Protection Division at 877-765-8388. File a Do Not Call or Text complaint here.