Joanna Szabo  |  January 3, 2020

Category: Legal News

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A new law is intended to reduce or eliminate ronbocalls.For years, consumers have been inundated with telemarketing calls, including robocalls, and the problem continues to get worse.

In 2017 alone, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported receiving in excess of 375,000 complaints per month of unwanted robocalls. Of course, lots of consumers don’t report these annoyance calls, so the actual number of robocalls being placed is much higher.

In fact, The Verge reports that more than 48 billion robocalls were placed in the U.S. in 2018, an increase of 46 percent from 2017.

For months, Congress has been trying to pass legislation to help stymie the rising flood of robocalls. In December, it approved a new bill expected to be signed into law in early 2020.

The new law is called the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act—or, more simply, the TRACED Act. Under the TRACED Act, the federal government would be able to crack down on illegal robocallers more effectively, helping to eliminate robocalls. The law calls for a considerable fine —$10,000 per call in violation of the TRACED Act.

The Traced Act will also require major carriers to employ technology to help consumers determine whether or not a call they receive is legitimate or if it’s coming from a number using neighbor spoofing. This technology — referred to as the STIR/SHAKEN protocols — is already being implemented by a number of major carriers as they prepare for this new law.

Per the TRACED Act, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) would have three years to prosecute violators, rather than one year as the law allowed previously.

The vote to move this bill forward occurred in early December in the House, which voted in favor by an overwhelming majority. The most recent vote took place in the Senate, which unanimously approved it. The bill now needs to be signed by the president to become law.

“I have yet to meet someone who says they enjoy receiving those unwanted and illegal robocalls that plague our phones,” said Sen. John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota. “This bill represents a unique legislative effort that is not only bipartisan at its core, but it’s nearly unanimously supported in Congress.”

Filing a TCPA Robocall Lawsuit

A growing number of consumers across the United States are turning to litigation after being inundated with spam texting and robocalls. If you have been hit with spam texts or robocalls, you may be able to file a TCPA lawsuit and pursue compensation. Filing a lawsuit helps enforce the TCPA’s rules and eliminate robocalls, as well as hold companies responsible for their practices.

Pursuing litigation can be a daunting prospect, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork by connecting you with an experienced attorney. Consulting an attorney can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation, and maximize your potential compensation.

Join a Free TCPA Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you were contacted on your cell phone by a company via an unsolicited text message (text spam) or prerecorded voice message (robocall), you may be eligible for compensation under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

Get a Free Case Evaluation Now

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.

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22 thoughts onCongress Passes New Bill in Effort to Eliminate Robocalls

  1. Danielle Vojinov says:

    I receive way too many of these daily even tho I have been on the “do not call” list for years. Extremely frustrating to the vet least. Please add me

  2. kimberly jones says:

    I get so many of these calls I don’t even turn the volume of my cell phone up, I miss all my important calls in the mean time, I have been on the do not call list, I have even opted out of the ones that still continues to sends me no stop text messages. such a bunch of b.s.

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