Press Release

Alaska Attorney General Works to Expose Illegal Robocallers

June 4, 2020

(Anchorage, AK) – Attorney General Kevin G. Clarkson, with the State Attorneys General Robocall Working Group, is encouraging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to facilitate collaboration among state attorneys general and telecom companies in tracing back illegal robocalls to their source.

Under the TRACED Act, which became law in December 2019, the FCC will select a single registered association to manage the work to trace back illegal robocalls. Because a call can pass through the networks of many telecom companies before reaching its final destination, tracing that call—which is key to enforcing our laws against illegal robocallers—requires collaboration among telecom companies and state attorneys general. In their comments, the states note that traceback investigations are necessary for law enforcement to efficiently identify and investigate illegal robocallers and expose voice service providers that assist and facilitate illegal robocallers.

State attorneys general have encouraged the telecom industry to increase the number and speed of traceback investigations each month. Many telecom companies have joined this effort and are working hard to stop illegal robocallers. Traceback investigations are more urgent now because of coronavirus-related robocall scams, including scams related to coronavirus relief checks, pitches for coronavirus test kits, health plans offering coronavirus testing, work-from-home offers preying on job-seekers, and scams offering relief on utility bills, student loans, taxes, or other debt.

Attorney General Kevin Clarkson says, “Since 2018, Alaska has been part of a coalition of states working with the telecom industry to attack the scourge of illegal robocalls by minimizing the number of calls and tracing the calls back to their source.”

Attorney General Kevin Clarkson is joined by the Attorneys General of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

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Department Media Contacts: Communications Director Patty Sullivan at patty.sullivan@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6368. Information Officer Sam Curtis at sam.curtis@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6269.