PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley, along with Attorneys General from 46 other states, is urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to strengthen its Robocall Mitigation Database (RMD).
The Attorneys General are concerned that this database, which requires voice service providers to register in order to operate in the United States, has become an unmonitored loophole that allows bad actors to access the U.S. telephone network and conduct illegal robocalls.
“Illegal robocalls are a nuisance to all of us, and a means for scammers to take advantage of us,” said Attorney General Jackley. “It is time for the FCC to strengthen its database and crack down on scammers.”
The coalition is urging the FCC to take specific actions to better secure the database, which has been in place since 2021 but has not effectively prevented illegal actors from gaining access to the network.
Key recommendations from the Attorneys General include clarifying what information providers must submit, setting deadlines for this information, verifying the data to detect false or misleading entries, and penalizing providers that submit inaccurate information by blocking their authorization to operate. Additionally, the Attorneys General suggest blocking providers who fail to comply with these standards.
This call to action has received broad support, with Attorneys General from states including Alabama, California, Florida, New York, and Texas joining South Dakota in signing a letter to the FCC, urging immediate improvements to the database to better protect consumers across the U.S.
