Van Drew Make Strides in Eliminating Robocall Fraud with Newly Introduced Legislation

WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew (D-2nd) introduced the bipartisan Ending One-Ring Scams Act of 2019, a bill to protect people from a particular type of robocall fraud called “One-Ring Scams.”
According to a release, this deceit is perpetuated when a phone call is made for a short duration, usually one ring, and then terminated, causing the called party to be charged with costs in returning the call.
Americans are receiving more unwanted calls than ever before. These incurred fees trickle down to consumers on their cell phone bills. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) received 232,000 consumer complaints of unwanted calls in 2018.
The Ending One-Ring Scams Act of 2019 empowers the Department of Justice to end robocallers from defrauding consumers through malicious phone call scams. It directs the Federal Communications Commission(FCC) to initiate a proceeding to protect called parties from one-ring scams by working with federal and state law enforcement to address scams in the U.S., working with foreign governments to address scams in their countries, educate consumers about how to avoid one-ring scams, incentivize voice service providers to stop these scams, work on blocking these calls, and establish obligations on international gateway providers which are the first point of entry for these calls.
Earlier this year, Van Drew introduced the Robocall Enforcement Enhancement Act of 2019 to crack down on abusive, annoying, and illegal robocalls.
As a New Jersey state senator, Van Drew sponsored the original Do Not Call list for the state and fought to strengthen that list to limit the ability
of robocallers to annoy and prey upon our citizens.
Data shows that New Jersey residents reported 321,393 robocall complaints last year alone – more than any other state in the nation.
“With the Ending One-Ring Scams Act of 2019, I continue my fight against those that prey on the weak.
For illegal robocallers, the goal isn’t always getting you to answer. Sometimes, it’s getting you to call back,” stated Van Drew. “Over the years, countless people throughout South Jersey have shared with me that they are constantly harassed by robocalls and scams. These scams not only
inconvenience us at the dinner table, but they prey on the vulnerable, including seniors, and it’s despicable.
“We all hate the plague of robocalls. For some, they are more than a nuisance, as unsuspecting victims suffer financial harm. Sadly, these bad actors target the elderly and most vulnerable for these crimes. Our bipartisan legislation will help protect the public from these tactics,” stated Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FLA 12th).
Specifically, the Ending One-Ring Scams Act of 2019 would:
• Ensure the FCC initiates a proceeding to protect the called consumers from one-ring scams;
• Ensure the FCC considers how they can work with Federal and State law enforcement agencies to address the issue, work with governments of foreign countries, incentivize voice service providers to stop calls made to perpetrate the issue, work with entities that provide call-blocking services to address the issue;
• Encourage the FCC to work with the governments of foreign countries to address one-ring scams;
• Require the FCC to publish a report on the status of their work to Congress no later than one year after passage; and
• Require the FCC to consult with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to educate consumers on how to avoid one-ring scams and incentivize voice service providers to stop calls made to perpetrate one-ring scams.