New York Attorney General Letitia James has taken steps to protect residents from unwanted robocalls. In collaboration with a bipartisan group of 27 other attorneys general, she filed an amicus brief supporting a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rule. This rule aims to prevent telemarketers from acquiring and selling consumers' phone numbers to robocallers without consent.
Attorney General James stated, "New Yorkers and consumers nationwide are sick and tired of receiving unwanted robocalls. Robocalls are not only annoying but have also led to serious scams that robbed people of millions of dollars. The FCC’s rule would help stop some of these unwanted calls and could protect consumers from fraud. My office is joining attorneys general across the country to defend this rule and help protect consumers."
Robocalls have been a persistent issue, contributing significantly to scams and fraud. According to the Federal Trade Commission, in 2023 alone, consumers reported losing over $1.2 billion due to scams involving robocalls and text messages. To combat this problem, the FCC introduced a rule under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). This regulation requires lead generators—companies that gather consumer information for sale—to obtain explicit consent before sharing phone numbers with third parties.
The coalition's brief was filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in the case Insurance Marketing Coalition v. Federal Communications Commission. It argues that the FCC's rule supports state efforts to curb robocalls by addressing one of their sources: initial consumer contact information collection points. Additionally, it highlights that the rule provides clear disclosures when consumers agree to share their contact details with sellers through websites or services.
Attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin District Columbia joined Attorney General James in filing this brief.