WV AG McCuskey: Urges Stronger FCC Robocall KYC Rules

• West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey joined 49 other attorneys general in urging the FCC to strengthen its "Know Your Customer" (KYC) rules.
• The coalition aims to prevent scammers from using the U.S. communications network for illegal robocalls by requiring phone companies to identify callers and their business activities.
• This action is part of Phase 2 of "Operation Robocall Roundup," a multi-state effort that previously targeted 37 smaller and then four of the largest intermediate voice service providers.
• Last year, Americans received over 29.6 billion scam robocalls and texts, resulting in nearly $2 billion in financial losses, highlighting the need for stronger regulations.
• Stronger KYC rules would enhance accountability, making it harder for bad actors to hide and easier for voice service providers to shut down fraud rings before they reach consumers.

Attorney General McCuskey emphasized that these calls transcend mere inconvenience, serving as a direct conduit for scammers to defraud West Virginians of their hard-earned money.

West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey has joined a bipartisan alliance of 49 other state attorneys general in urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to fortify its "Know Your Customer" (KYC) regulations. The primary objective of this collective action is to prevent fraudulent actors from exploiting the nation's communication infrastructure to launch illicit robocalls. These essential KYC rules mandate that telephone companies ascertain the identities of entities utilizing their networks for call origination, as well as the nature of the business activities these firms conduct. Such information empowers voice service providers to either suspend or terminate customers found to be engaging in unlawful calling practices or to decline partnerships with organizations that lack legitimacy or cannot substantiate their lawful business operations. Attorney General McCuskey has previously advocated for the FCC to enhance these very KYC rules, highlighting their critical role in combating widespread scam activities.

The coalition's recent engagement with the FCC included the submission of reply comments earlier this month. These comments reiterated the attorneys general's call for a more stringent approach to illegal robocalls, specifically by strengthening rules designed to deny scammers access to legitimate phone numbers. This ongoing advocacy underscores a persistent concern that existing requirements for providers to identify their customers are insufficient, a fact clearly demonstrated by the continued prevalence of robocall scams across the country.

This concerted effort by state legal officers forms a crucial component of "Operation Robocall Roundup," specifically falling under its second phase. This broader initiative is spearheaded by the Anti-Robocall Multistate Litigation Task Force, dedicated to a nationwide crackdown on unsolicited and fraudulent calls. The initial phase of Operation Robocall Roundup commenced in August 2025, targeting 37 smaller voice providers. These providers received warning letters due to suspicions that they were facilitating illegal robocalls onto the U.S. telephone network.

Building upon the groundwork laid in Phase 1, the second phase of the operation was launched in December. This expansion broadened the scope of enforcement to include four of the largest intermediate voice service providers operating within the country. The current push for enhanced FCC KYC rules is directly aligned with the strategic goals of this multi-phase operation, aiming to address the root causes that enable robocall scams to proliferate.

The urgency behind strengthening these regulations stems from the significant harm inflicted by illegal robocalls. Attorney General McCuskey emphasized that these calls transcend mere inconvenience, serving as a direct conduit for scammers to defraud West Virginians of their hard-earned money. He articulated that bolstering the FCC's Know Your Customer rules would reintroduce genuine accountability into the system, making it considerably more difficult for malicious actors to conceal their identities behind anonymous accounts and fabricated numbers. McCuskey further noted that when telecommunications providers and platforms possess accurate knowledge of their clientele, it becomes substantially simpler to dismantle fraud rings before they ever manage to reach a consumer's telephone.

The problem of illegal robocalls fundamentally begins when an originating voice service provider permits bad actors to utilize its network. The premise is straightforward: if scammers are unable to inject their calls into the U.S. communications network, they cannot execute illegal robocalls. Consequently, these originating voice service providers are identified as pivotal gatekeepers in preventing such calls from ever reaching the public. The current inadequacy of existing rules is starkly illustrated by the sheer volume of illicit activity; last year alone, Americans were subjected to more than 29.6 billion scam robocalls and texts, resulting in financial losses approaching nearly $2 billion due to these fraudulent schemes.

Compliance officers and legal counsel for voice service providers should monitor the FCC's response to this bipartisan push, as it signals increased regulatory pressure to strengthen 'Know Your Customer' rules, potentially leading to new compliance obligations for identifying and vetting customers to prevent illegal robocalls.

Source: Reporting from state attorneys general