WASHINGTON—The Federal Communications Commission is requesting further clarifications and comments regarding an earlier rulemaking to allow voice service providers to block certain calls originating from invalid or unassigned numbers, which would help target scam robocalls.
The FCC is requesting the clarifications based on comments it received from a proposed rule published in May; comments are due by Jan. 23.
“While the clarifications are more technical in nature, NAFCU is pleased that the FCC continues to move forward on efforts to target bad actors attempting to harm consumers,” the trade association stated.
In July 2015, the FCC released a declaratory ruling and order that provides limited robocall exemptions under the TCPA for financial institutions making free autodialed calls to consumers. NAFCU noted that it has repeatedly told the FCC that the order has led to financial institutions ceasing important communications with members about their accounts over fear of inadvertently violating the rule.
The association sent five other letters to the FCC in 2017 asking for revisions to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) in order to protect financial institutions' ability to communicate with their members about sensitive financial information.
In September 2015, NAFCU entered a suit challenging the FCC’s order on TCPA prohibitions on autodialed calls to account holders. Oral arguments were heard in the case last October in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit; the court could issue a decision at any time.