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Attorneys General Want Big Five Phone Companies to Crack Down on Robo Calls

July 23rd, 2015 by Mike Vasilinda

If you’ve ever scrambled to answer your phone only to hear a recorded message, you are not alone. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, 45  State Attorneys General, including Florida’s, want the phone companies to do something about the calls.

The come on a daily basis. Calls offering something for nothing.

“It’s already been paid for, so there’s no cost to you” is how one call provided by the Attorney General went.

The company behind that call has been the subject of two complaints filed by the state.

And Even though the calls say something is free…AG Spokesman Gerald Whitney Ray says what they want is your credit card info.

“The goal is always to get that personal information, and you should be very protective of it. Once they get that financial information, you know, they can set up billing, invoices, bill you directly, and that’s what was happening here.”

Jeff Soderberg got a call claiming to be from the IRS, but he knew it was a scam. He reported it to the Attorney General.

“It was surprising. It really was. You know you always figure this is stuff you read about or watch on TV and it always happens to other people, so it was kind of a stunning amazement to me that my house got called” said Soderberg.

Complaints about robo calls are surging. this week, 45 Attorneys General, including Florida’s Pam Bondi sent a letter to the big five phone companies urging them to implement robo call blocking technology. ROBO00000006

And one way to fight back is to register on the do not call list. And while it may not stop many scammers from calling, what it will do is give officials another avenue to attack the scammers.

Jen Meale, spokesperson for the Fl. Dept of Ag. And Consumer Svcs Spokesperson says violations of the do not call list are the number one consumer complaint in the state. “Any violations that company can be held responsible and face fines” says Meale

Experts offer this advice. Don’t punch any buttons or prompts from the robo call. Simply hang up….otherwise you are likely to find your phone ringing more often.

Florida eliminated the fee for registering on the do not call list in 2012. You can sign up or file a complaint online at www.fldnc.com

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