New York Attorney General Supports FCC Rule to Curb Unwanted Robocalls

New York Attorney General Letitia James has joined a coalition of 27 other state attorneys general in support of a federal rule aimed at limiting robocalls. The coalition filed an amicus brief in Insurance Marketing Coalition v. Federal Communications Commission, backing a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rule designed to prevent telemarketers from acquiring and selling consumers’ phone numbers without their consent.

The rule, issued under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), requires lead generators—companies that collect and distribute consumer contact information—to obtain explicit permission before sharing phone numbers with third-party businesses.

Supporters of the rule argue that it addresses a significant source of robocalls by ensuring that consumers are aware of and agree to their contact information being shared. The attorneys general assert that the FCC acted within its authority in establishing the regulation and that enforcing it could help curb fraudulent and unwanted calls.

“Robocalls are more than just a nuisance; they are often linked to scams that have cost consumers billions of dollars,” James said in a statement. “This rule would be an important step in reducing unwanted calls and protecting people from fraud.”

According to Federal Trade Commission data, consumers reported losing over $1.2 billion to robocall and text message scams in 2023 alone. Many of these scams involve impersonating government agencies, financial institutions, or other trusted entities to steal personal or financial information.

The attorneys general argue that the FCC’s rule would support state-level efforts to combat robocall scams. The brief emphasizes that requiring clear and conspicuous disclosures when consumers consent to share their information will provide additional safeguards against deceptive marketing practices.

Alongside New York, 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, and the District of Columbia have joined the brief.

The case is currently pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.