Today, the Federal Communications Commission voted to strengthen its Know-Your-Customer rules for voice service providers, which will help to cut down on scam calls.
In a press release about the decision, the FCC says: “Stopping illegal calls is the FCC’s top consumer protection priority, and the agency is taking a holistic approach by attacking them at every point in their lifecycle. This includes stopping illegal calls before they enter the phone network, requiring providers to block unwanted or illegal calls, and giving consumers more information about the calls they receive.”
This is the latest of the FCC’s efforts to cut down on illegal calls by forcing voice service providers to show proof of identity. The FCC already requires providers to take some steps to know their customers, but the Commission has found that those efforts haven’t been enough to prevent scam calls targeting Americans from happening.
Going forward, the FCC is seeking comments on implementing additional “new requirements for providers to verify customer identities—including name, address, government ID, and alternative phone numbers—before enabling service.”
The FCC is also seeking comments on how the rules will be enforced and what will happen if providers do not follow Know-Your-Customer rules put in place.