FRANKFORT, Ky. (WYMT) — You look down at your phone and see an unknown number — you pick it up and it is a robocall. This happens to thousands of Kentuckians each day.
So, what can be done about it?
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron joined a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general in 49 states, American Samoa, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, in calling on USTelecom to combat robocalls.
USTelecom is the leading organization representing telecommunication providers.
The organization’s Industry Traceback Group is continuing its collaboration with state attorneys general by boosting its technology to improve enforcement against illegal robocallers.
“Illegal robocalls create unnecessary disruptions and can lead to confusion and even fraud for Kentucky consumers,” said Cameron, adding, “We’re committed to taking action on behalf of Kentuckians to crack down on these calls. The letter sent by our bipartisan coalition serves to strengthen the existing relationship we have with USTelecom and encourages the development of increased capabilities and technologies to stop robocallers from illegally targeting consumers.”
State Representative Kevin Bratcher has worked to end illegal robocalls in the Commonwealth and expressed support for the coalition.
“As a state representative, I believe that state leaders have a certain responsibility to protect our citizen’s private information and track fraudulent robocalls,” said Rep. Bratcher. “For the past several years, I have worked diligently to find a solution for this matter. By joining this bipartisan coalition, Attorney General Cameron is bringing awareness to a significant issue and is taking action to reduce the number of infuriating phone calls and the number of vulnerable Kentuckians getting scammed.”
A key part of the action would be for USTelecom to develop and roll out an online platform to collect live data from carriers and robocall-blocking apps.
When USTelecom or a law enforcement agency detects an illegal robocall campaign, the law enforcement agency would then submit a subpoena in a streamlined online portal.
Following the subpoena, the platform could potentially lead to temporary restraining orders that could stop a live robocall campaign in its tracks.
The coalition believes these measure would strengthen the partnership between both groups.
