As the American Bankers Association unveiled a broader anti-fraud agenda at its annual convention, the association continued its advocacy to push the Federal Communications Commission to issue new rules to help stem the flow of illegal texts and calls to consumers, sending a new letter to the agency on Friday after meeting with Commissioner Nathan Simington’s staff earlier last week. The FCC had been scheduled to consider the new rules during the FCC’s meeting on Sept. 26, but the rules were removed from the agenda two days before the meeting.
ABA’s letter follows a letter sent to the FCC on Oct. 18 signed by 52 state bankers associations, urging the agency to adopt the new rules.
The rules under consideration would require mobile wireless providers that originate text messages to block all texts from a particular source when notified by the FCC of illegal texts from that source, except under limited circumstances. Existing rules require terminating providers — but not originating providers — to block all texts from a particular number when notified by the FCC of illegal texts from that number. In prior comments, ABA urged the FCC to expand this requirement to cover originating providers.
The rules also would require mobile wireless providers to offer email-to-text as an opt-in service. In previous comments, ABA warned the FCC that bad actors are increasingly using email-to-text as a primary means to place a large volume of illegal texts quickly. ABA also urged bankers to write to submit comments to urge the FCC to adopt the new rules.
