Wisconsin Department of Justice Announces Partnership to Help Fight Robocalls

Wednesday, October 5th, 2022 -- 9:01 AM

The Wisconsin Department of Justice and the Federal Communications Commission announced a new robocall investigations partnership.

This Memorandum of Understanding between state and federal robocall investigators establishes critical information sharing and cooperation structures to investigate spoofing and robocalls scam campaigns.

More than forty states, including Wisconsin, have established formal working relationships with the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau to support robocall investigations and protect American consumers and businesses.

“We must cut down on the volume of annoying, unwanted robocalls that folks receive,” said Attorney General Josh Kaul. “This partnership between states and the FCC will advance our shared goals of protecting consumers and reducing illegal robocalls.”

“The FCC and state leaders share a common enemy: robocall scammers targeting consumers and businesses around the country,” said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.

“My team’s commitment to protecting consumers fits hand-in-glove with state Attorneys General’s ongoing efforts to combat these scams.  We share a goal, to protect consumers, and, with agreements like this, we can also share the tools needed to achieve it.  I thank state leaders for their cooperation and their dedication to enforcing strong consumer protection laws.”

During investigations, both the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau and state investigators seek records, talk to witnesses, interview targets, examine consumer complaints, and take other critical steps to build a record against possible bad actors.

These partnerships can provide critical resources for building cases and preventing duplicative efforts in protecting consumers and businesses nationwide. The FCC offers partner states not only the expertise of its enforcement staff but also important resources to support state investigations.

For example, the MOUs may facilitate relationships with other actors in this space including other federal agencies and robocall blocking companies, and support for and expertise with critical investigative tools including subpoenas and confidential response letters from suspected robocallers.

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