WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) - A consumer watchdog group says a federal law to protect people from scam calls isn't working like it should.
Teresa Murray is the Consumer Watchdog Director with the Public Interest Research Group. She's working to bring attention to the issue of scam calls and texts.
"As a country we get more than two billion scam and unwanted calls every single month. And that's just not acceptable," Murray said.
A federal law went into effect in 2021 to require phone companies to install technology to fight these scams, but Murray says the law isn't as effective as it should be.
"Less than half have actually implemented the technology that they're supposed to be using by law to fight robocalls and keep them from ringing on my phone and your phone and everybody else's phone," Murray said.
According to Murray scam calls have only dropped by 17% since the federal law went into effect. She argues the Federal Communications Commission isn't doing enough to implement it.
"A lot of them are doing it, but a lot of them are not. So we need to demand more, we need to expect more," Murray said.
The FCC pushed back on those claims, saying they've made tremendous progress in making sure that companies are complying with the law.
The agency declined Nexstar's request for an interview, but they did send a statement in response:
"It is incorrect to state that most providers are not complying (...) In narrow exceptions where implementation is not possible, all providers are nevertheless still required to take action to prevent illegal robocalls on their networks, and must file robocall mitigation plans with the FCC. "
Murray says this is an issue that deserves further focus, because scam calls and texts can be dangerous.
"They get tricked into providing information that ends up leading to financial losses. Sometimes it's a few hundred dollars, sometimes it's a thousand dollars, sometimes in many many cases it's unfortunately people's life savings," Murray said.
She also adds that spreading awareness about scams is key to preventing them.
The Public Interest Research Group has some tips about how to protect yourself from scam calls and texts.
First, they say don't respond to anyone you aren't expecting to hear from. They advise not to give out any personal information to someone who contacts you unexpectedly.
Also, don't pay for anything you weren't planning to pay for. Real companies and government offices don't ask for gift cards or payments through Venmo or Zelle.
They also warn to be wary of anyone who tries to push you to act immediately. You can always take a breath to think things through or talk to a trusted friend.
Most importantly, they suggest verifying any information for yourself through known phone numbers and official websites.
You can find more information about preventing scams here.
