EPIC, NCLC-led Coalition Urges FCC to Enforce Number Access Rules to Prevent Illegal Call Campaigns

On December 6, EPIC, the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC), the National Consumers League, Consumer Action, and Public Knowledge submitted reply comments to the Federal Communications Commission about NumberBarn’s application for access to numbering resources. Illegal call campaigns attempt to deceive consumers by calling from phone numbers that appear to be local to the consumer, which would not be possible unless companies give callers the ability to use those numbers. Multiple state regulators filed comments with the FCC identifying NumberBarn as a likely supplier of numbering resources to bad actor callers. The consumer coalition’s comments emphasized some of the points made by regulators and explained those kinds of practices violate federal law including the FCC’s rules about presenting a meaningful Caller ID when calling a consumer.

EPIC routinely participates in regulatory and legislative processes concerning robocalls (including robotexts) and files amicus briefs in robocall cases.