The U.S. Federal Communications Commission signed an agreement with Singapore regulators to work together to crack down on robocalls conducted internationally.
The FCC’s Memorandum of Understanding with Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority is intended to strengthen cross-border efforts to put a stop to unsolicited and illegal communications, including scam calls. The MOU makes it easier for the U.S. and Singapore to share information related to illegal operations and exchange policy solutions to block robocalls.
This partnership will allow the FCC and IMDA to share strategic insights on scams to better combat the growing and evasive threat of such scams and mitigate the risk facing citizens and businesses stemming from fraudulent activities.
The robocall scourge is one of the few problems that virtually everyone agrees needs to be squashed. It’s become a massive problem, with scammers setting up increasingly sophisticated systems to bombard people with more and more junk calls. That’s forced agencies and, in this case, countries, to team up to better combat them.
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Chief Executive of IMDA Lew Chuen Hong signed the document at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., on October 11.
“Robocall scams do not respect international borders and are a problem for consumers and businesses around the world,” said Rosenworcel. “It is critical that we work closely with partners like our colleagues in Singapore who share our commitment to fight robocall scams and unmasking the bad actors behind them.”
“International cooperation is key in preserving trust for the digital commons, especially when addressing issues such as online scams which transcend borders,” Mr. Lew said in the statement. “The agreement builds on the strong ties between Singapore and the United States in working towards safeguarding our digital environment.”
The FCC has been making great strides to combat the problem, one being to shut down illegal operations as they’re identified. The issue is that many of these operations close down and pop up under a new name, or another group fills the vacancy. The FCC only has jurisdiction in the U.S., making call centers running outside the country challenging to stop.
Another tactic the FCC uses to squash calls is to hold providers accountable for allowing illegal traffic on their networks, putting more roadblocks in the way of completing scam calls.
Developing a coordinated global approach to dealing with the growing threat of scams is essential to snuffing out the sources. The agreement builds on the FCC and IMDA’s efforts to work with international regulators to halt illegal calls and text messages. The collaboration aims to enhance anti-scam measures across borders to protect citizens and businesses from malicious actors.