Illinois Attorney General Launches Operation Robocall Roundup

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has launched an effort to crack down on robocalls across the country as part of the multistate Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force. The task force, comprising 50 attorneys general, is sending warning letters to 37 voice providers demanding they stop illegal robocalls being routed through their networks. The telecom providers have failed to comply with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules, allowing robocallers into their networks and passing those calls on to Illinois residents. Raoul and the task force are also sending letters to over 100 downstream providers, warning them they are doing business with bad actors.

Key Takeaways:

• Operation Robocall Roundup is a effort by the multistate Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force to crack down on robocalls across the country.
• 37 voice providers have been sent warning letters by Raoul and the coalition, demanding they stop illegal robocalls being routed through their networks.
• The telecom providers have failed to comply with FCC rules, allowing robocallers into their networks and passing those calls on to Illinois residents.
• 100 downstream providers have been sent letters warning them they are doing business with bad actors that are not willing to follow rules.
• Seven voice service providers will be removed from the Robocall Mitigation Database, meaning other providers will no longer be allowed to accept and route any calls from their networks.
• The list of voice service providers receiving warning letters includes Advantage Investors LLC, Alpha Stream, Ananya Traders LLC, and 29 others.
• Attorney General Raoul has been a consistent advocate for protections against illegal robocalls and has pursued enforcement actions against entities responsible for significant volumes of illegal and fraudulent robocall traffic.
• In 2022, 51 attorneys general joined forces to create the Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force, which investigates and takes legal action against companies responsible for significant volumes of illegal and fraudulent robocall traffic.

Statistics:

• 37 voice providers have been sent warning letters.
• 100 downstream providers have been sent letters warning them they are doing business with bad actors.
• 50 attorneys general are part of the multistate Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force.
• 51 attorneys general joined forces in 2022 to create the Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force.
• In 2019, Raoul joined a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from all 50 states and Washington D.C. in partnering with 12 phone companies to create a set of principles for telecom companies to fight robocalls.
• In June 2019, Raoul, in cooperation with the Federal Trade Commission, announced a major crackdown on robocalls that included 94 actions targeting operations around the country that were responsible for more than 1 billion calls.

Sources:

• "Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, with a bipartisan coalition of 50 attorneys general, today launched Operation Robocall Roundup, an effort by the multistate Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force to crack down on robocalls across the country." (Office of the Illinois Attorney General)
• "In 2022, 51 attorneys general joined forces to create the Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force." (Office of the Illinois Attorney General)
• "Attorney General Raoul has been a consistent advocate for protections against illegal robocalls." (Office of the Illinois Attorney General)
• "In August 2019, Raoul joined a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from all 50 states and Washington D.C. in partnering with 12 phone companies to create a set of principles for telecom companies to fight robocalls." (Office of the Illinois Attorney General)