Ask the FCC to Protect Consumers from Text and Call Scams

The most often-reported text message scam is a bad actor impersonating a bank, according to the FTC. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is considering adopting a rule that would make it more difficult for scammers to operate schemes that impersonate banks and other legitimate institutions, but the fate of that rule is uncertain.

The rule would implement ABA-suggested provisions that make it more difficult for criminals to use “email-to-text” to scam consumers and require providers that originate text messages to block all texts from a particular source when notified by the FCC of illegal texts from that source.

Banks are diligently working to protect their customers against fraud, but banks alone can’t shut down these bad actors.  We need the FCC to act. Ask the FCC to finalize this rule and protect consumers from fraud.

Instructions for submitting a comment to the FCC:

Please note, per federal rule making procedures, your information and comments will be made public.

1. Go to https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings/express 
2. In the Proceeding(s) data field, search for 17-59 – In the Matter of Advanced Methods to Target and Eliminate Unlawful Robocalls and 21-402 – Targeting and Eliminating Unlawful Text Messages. When you enter in those docket numbers, the system should populate in a dropdown menu the official names of those rules. Choose both rules and continue to the next field. 
3. Fill in the other fields with your information.
4. In the “Brief Comments” box, include your comments. Below is a draft message you could copy and paste, but we strongly encourage you to include your own statements or submit a comment entirely unique to you.

Bad actors are using increasingly sophisticated technology to impersonate banks in calls and text messages and misleading consumers into giving out personal information and account details. Not only does this activity harm consumers who lose their hard-earned money, but it also damages the trust between a bank and its customer. That trust is critical when the bank needs to reach the customer to report actual fraud or provide the customer with account-related services.

Banks are continually working to stay one step ahead of fraudsters. But they need the FCC to further clamp down on the ability of criminals to send text messages that impersonate the bank. 

I urge the Commission to move quickly to finalize a rule that would require mobile wireless providers to make “email-to-text” an opt-in service and that would require providers that originate text messages to block all texts from a particular source when notified by the FCC of illegal text from that source.

5. Check the box to confirm you are filing with the FCC and hit “continue to review screen”.