NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — It is something that happens to all of us, getting those dreaded robocalls. Now Tennessee's top cop is joining a national task force to investigate them.
The task force is all about cutting down the number of illegal robocalls. Not only, investigating the companies bringing the calls to the United States, but taking legal action.
"These calls are not only a nuisance but a scam risk to many in Tennessee and nationwide. I appreciate my fellow attorneys general coming together to hold bad actors accountable,”
Attorney General Herbert Slatery said in a statement.
He said we would not be getting all of these calls if they did not benefit companies.
Slatery's office said the task force issued civil investigative demands to 20 gateway providers and other entities.
"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 statement said.
Slatery is joining 50 other attorneys general for the Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force. Last year alone, nearly $30 billion was stolen through scam calls.
Here are some tips to avoid getting scammed per Slatery's office.
- Be wary of callers who specifically ask you to pay by gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency. For example, the Internal Revenue Service 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 the Division of Consumer Affairs.
