Letter to Edith Ramirez, Chairwoman of the Federal Trade Commission - "Do Not Call" Violations

Letter

Dear Chairwoman Ramirez,

Nearly every day I hear from constituents who are frustrated by the constant interruption of telemarketers. Despite more than 100 enforcement actions taken against companies and telemarketers for "Do Not Call' violations by the FTC's own admission, the number of consumer complaints for unsolicited telephone calls has doubled since 2010.

Last year, the FTC received 493,508 consumer complaints from California phone numbers, representing 15 percent of complaints received nationwide. Among the area codes serving my Congressional District (650, 408, 831), the FTC received 53,308 complaints in FY2014. It's clear that the Do Not Call registry is not working as it was intended.

Advances in technology, including voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), caller ID spoofing, and automated dialing have no doubt made it easier for companies to disregard the registry. Recognizing these challenges, I commend the FTC for taking a series of steps including hosting a 2012 summit, a "Robocall Challenge" and most recently the "Zapping Rachel" contest at DEF CON 22. Given continued advances in technology, I invite you to Silicon Valley for a follow-up summit and discussion of new technological solutions to this complex and growing problem.

Further, as part of the FTC's consumer outreach efforts, it's important to continuously update and educate consumers on what the agency is doing to stop illegal robocalls. Proactive education should include an annual e-mail outreach to consumers registered for the Do Not Call registry, rather than assuming that consumers will find the FTC's website on their own. Additionally, while I recognize as a law enforcement agency you are unable to comment on pending enforcement actions, consumers should be informed when their complaint ultimately results in action being taken by the FTC.

In 2013, on the 10th anniversary of the National Do Not Call registry, the FTC committed to an "iron-clad guarantee" to take action against companies that violate the agencies rules. Two years later, it's critical that the FTC maintain this commitment and do everything in its power to protect consumers against unsolicited robocalls.

Thank you for your leadership to protect consumers and I look forward to your timely response.

Most gratefully,

Anna G. Eshoo
Member of Congress

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