By Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD – An Illinois lawmaker argues more should be done to fight unwanted robocalls.
State Senator Dave Syverson, R-Rockford, said despite some action at the federal level,
the automated calls keep phones in the state ringing around the clock.
“We’ve certainly not seen a decrease, that’s for sure,” Syverson said. “I hear it all the
time. People know they’re going to get those three, four or five calls a day on their cell
phones.”
Last year, the Federal Communications Commission passed a ruling that allows and
encourages phone companies to block robocalls by default. Earlier in January, President Donald
Trump signed legislation that urges those same companies to cut off illegal marketers or
scammer before the phone rings by spotting suspicious traffic.
Syverson said one reason he’s set to re-file legislation that would allow the state greater
abilities to fight back is to hear from executives and hold them accountable.
“I want these carriers – the Verizons and the AT&Ts and the U.S. Cellulars – I want
their leaders to come down in the Senate and sit before us and explain to the public what
they’re doing and why can’t they do a better job of protecting people from being
scammed,” Syverson said.
He said robocalls are a form of harassment. Even worse, the robocalls can be scams, which
some residents fall prey to. Syverson said he was looking for evidence to bolster his
arguments in support of the bill.
“People that have horror stories or if they had family members who have been victimized
from some of these scams, I would like to hear from them,” Syverson said. “If they’re
frustrated by it, if they’re angered by it, that kind of information is very helpful to us.”
Syverson’s legislation would create the bipartisan Illinois Automated Dialing and
Solicitation Task Force. Suggested remedies could include asking phone companies to
take more aggressive actions.
“I think the phone industry can do more,” Syverson said. “They know electronically if
there are 10,000 calls an hour coming in from China, from India, or Russia, and they know
what that is. I don’t know why they can’t just totally block those even before they get to a
person’s phone.”
A recent report from the Federal Trade Commission estimated Illinois residents received
more than 230,000 robocalls last year alone, although Syverson puts the total number much
higher. The findings showed people 60 and older across the country lost nearly $300
million in 2019 due to fraud and scams.
“From my standpoint, why don’t they want to do it?” Syverson said. “Yes, obviously they
make money by having all these calls being done, but the number of complaints and
lawsuits and things that occur, it’s gotta be a frustration to them as well.”
The Illinois Senate approved Syverson’s package of bills in 2018, but a vote never was
taken in the full House.
Illinois Radio Network can be reached at [email protected].
