Press
- 3/27/19 Washington Post “Why are we getting so many robocalls?” quotes NCLC Senior Counsel Margot Saunders
- 3/16/19 CNBC “Robocalls about your bills can pour in every day, all day” quotes NCLC Senior Counsel Margot Saunders
- 10/31/18 Mercury News “Robocalls gone wild end up costing California debt collector $9 million“
- 10/15/18 MarketWatch “Robocall debt collectors see new opportunity under Trump’s FCC” quotes NCLC Senior Counsel Margot Saunders
- 8/6/18 CNBC “Don’t pick up (or maybe you should): That annoying robocall could be about your student loans” quotes NCLC Senior Counsel Margot Saunders
- 7/17/18 Washington Post “Robo-calls are getting worse. And some big businesses soon could start calling you even more.” quotes NCLC Senior Counsel Margot Saunders
- 7/5/18 Detroit Free Press “Could a tsunami of robocalls be headed to our cell phones?” quotes NCLC Senior Counsel Margot Saunders
- 6/12/18 Forbes “There Were 4.1 Billion Robocalls Dialed in the U.S. Last Month” quotes NCLC deputy director Carolyn Carter
- 5/24/18 BYU Radio “Robocalls on the Rise” NCLC Senior Counsel Margot Saunders joins Julie Rose for her “Top of Mind” broadcast to discuss the rising toll robocalls take on consumer privacy and what can be done to stop them.
- 5/18/18 Vice: Motherboard “Our Robocall Hell Is a Result of Inconsistent Enforcement and Carrier Apathy” quotes NCLC Senior Counsel Margot Saunders discusses the failure of telephone service providers and regulators to do enough to stop robocalls.
- 5/16/18 Slate “There Are Two Big Reasons Robocalls Are Getting Worse” quotes NCLC Senior Counsel Margot Saunders and explains the FCC’s mistake in only addressing scam robocalls “while largely ignoring the aggressive robocalling behavior of legitimate businesses.”
- 1/17/18 NBC News “It’s not just you–Americans received 30 billion robocalls last year” quotes NCLC Senior Counsel Margot Saunders on the volume of robocalls and company’s efforts to amend the rules to make even more robocalls.
- 11/20/17 WIRED “The Robocall Nightmare Is Only Getting Worse–But Help Is Here” quotes NCLC Senior Counsel Margot Saunders on the prevalence of unwanted robocalls from banks and debt collectors while the FCC remains focused on scam calls.
- 6/13/17 Boston Globe Editorial “FCC should reject new robocall initiative” quotes NCLC Senior Counsel Margot Saunders on robocalls and the First Amendment.
- 6/6/17 Morning Consult op-ed “Agencies should ensure enforcement of unwanted robocalls, texts” by NCLC Senior Counsel Margot Saunders and Randall A. Snyder argues for greater consumer protections against telemarketers.
- 6/3/17 New York Times “Telemarketers fight to get in with no ring” by Tara Siegel Bernard quotes NCLC Senior Counsel Margot Saunders on the dangers of ringless voicemail. This story also ran in the Boston Globe and the Tampa Bay Times.
- 6/1/17 CBS Evening News (National) 2:01 runtime “Companies want robocalls to go straight to your voicemail” in which Anna Werner interviews NCLC Senior Counsel Margot Saunders.
- 2/8/17 KOMO Radio (Seattle) (3:20 runtime) NCLC attorney Margot Saunders discusses concerns that the FCC might loosen regulations that would allow robocalls by student loan servicers and debt collectors to cellphones without consent with consumer reporter Herb Weisbaum.
Policy Briefs, Reports & Press Releases
2020
- Press release: U.S. Supreme Court to Hear Case on December 8 that Could Open the Floodgates to More Invasive Robocalls, Dec. 7, 2020
- Issue brief: Robocall Protections: Will the Supreme Court Shield Americans from Unwanted Robocalls?, December 2020
- Policy Brief: How the U.S. Supreme Court Can Shield Americans From Unwanted Robocalls, Dec. 2020
- Press Release: Telecom Carrier and Consumer Groups Stress Critical Need to Maintain Landmark Consumer Privacy Law to Protect Integrity of Communications System and Curb Robocalls in U.S. Supreme Court Case, March 3, 2020
2019
- Press release: Bipartisan TRACED Act Signed Into Law, Latest Tool in Fight Against the Robocall Epidemic, December 30, 2019
- Press release: Are Robot Calls Robocalls? October 21, 2019
- Issue brief: Digital Divide: Millions of Americans Have Limited or No Meaningful Access to the Internet, August 2019
- Press release: Consumer Groups Praise Overwhelming House Passage of Strong Anti-Robocalls Bill, June 24, 2019
- Press Release: Bipartisan House Bill Moves Forward in the Fight to Stop Unwanted Robocalls, July 17, 2019
- Press Release: Bipartisan House Bill is a Significant Step Forward in the Fight to Stop Unwanted Robocalls, June 20, 2019
- Press Statement: FCC Approves Phone Companies Proactively Blocking Robocalls, June 6, 2019
- Press Release: Legislation to Shut Down Unwanted Robocalls Reintroduced, Feb. 4, 2019
- Press release: Consumer Groups Urge Action on Bipartisan Legislation to Stop Misleading “Spoofed” Robocalls, Jan. 17, 2019
2018
- Press Release: FCC Issues Proposed Order to Reduce Wrong Number Robocalls, Nov. 21, 2018
- Press Release: Consumer Groups Welcome Bipartisan Legislation to Stop Misleading “Spoofed” Robocalls, Nov. 16, 2018
- Press Release: Bipartisan Robocall Issue Draws Contrasting Response in U.S. Senate, Aug. 2, 2018
- Press release: Banks, Mortgage Servicers, Student Lenders, and Auto Dealers Push FCC to Weaken Consumer Protections from Unwanted Robocalls, June 26, 2018
- Press release: As Robocall Volume Breaks Records, FCC Could Open the Floodgates to Even More Robocalls, June 7, 2018
- Memo: Amicus Brief Filed in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on Behalf of NCLC and NACA in Marks v. Crunch San Diego, LLC, Arguing that the FCC’s Pre-2015 Orders Defining a Calling System as a Robodialer Remain in Effect, May 21, 2018
- Press release: NCLC Attorney Margot Saunders Testifies at U.S. Senate Hearing on Stopping Abusive Robocalls; Urges FCC to Strengthen Key Federal Privacy Law, April 18, 2018
- Memo: The Effect of ACA International: What Does it Vacate, What Does it Undermine, What Rules Remain?, April 2, 2018 PDF || MS Word
- Press release: D.C. Court Decision: Ball is Now in FCC Chairman Pai’s Court to Protect Consumers from Robocalls, March 16, 2018
- Press release: Advocates to FCC: Do More, Much More to Block Unwanted Robocalls, Feb. 23, 2018
- Press release: Robocall Problem Even Worse than FTC Data Shows, Jan. 4, 2018
2017
- Press Release: Banking Lobbyists Back FCC Petition to Shield Companies from Penalties for Text Messaging Consumers, Dec. 19, 2017
- Press Release: Consumer Groups Oppose Credit Unions’ Attempts to Robocall, Text Message Customers Without Their Consent, Nov. 7, 2017
- Press Release: FCC Must Protect Consumers from Unwanted Telemarketing and Debt Collection Voicemails, May 18, 2017
- Press Release: FCC Must Resist Industry Pressure to Unleash Incessant Robocalls to Student Loan Borrowers and Their Relatives and Neighbors, Feb. 1, 2017
2016
- Policy Briefs: Amicus Brief to DC Circuit Court by NCLC on behalf of the low-income clients and other consumer groups to defend FCC 2015 Omnibus Order, Jan. 2016
- Press Release: A win for consumers! FCC limits robocalls for collectors of federal student loan debt, August 11, 2016
- Press Release: FCC proposes rules to protect student loan borrowers and other consumers from collectors of federal debt, May 10, 2016
2015
- Press Release: Congress Set to Allow Robocalls to Cellphones, Oct. 27, 2015
- Press Release: FCC Protects Consumers from Unsolicited Robocalls and Texts to Cell Phones and Moves to Modernize Lifeline Program, June 18, 2015
- Press Release: FCC Announces Proposed Ruling Protecting Consumers from Unwanted Robocalls and Texts to Cell Phones, May 28, 2015
- Sign the petition to tell the FCC: NO robocalls to my cell phone
- Press Release: 60,000 consumers tell the FCC: No robocalls to my cellphone, Feb. 19, 2015
- Press Release FCC Poised to Open the Floodgates for Robocalls to Cell Phones, Jan. 2015
Comments and Testimony
2019
- Consumer Groups Comments Urging the FCC to adopt Advanced Methods to Target and Eliminate Unlawful Robocalls (CG Docket No. 17-59) and Call Authentication Trust Anchor (WC Docket No. 17-97), July 24, 2019
- Group comments to the FCC opposing the petition filed by the P2P Alliance seeking an exemption from the TCPA, July 11, 2019.
- Testimony of NCLC Attorney Margot Saunders before the U.S. House on Legislating to Stop the Onslaught of Annoying Robocalls, April 30, 2019; Press Release
- Testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation regarding Illegal Robocalls: Calling All To Stop The Scourge, April 11, 2019; Press Release
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Group comments opposing NorthStar Alarm Services, LLC’s Petition to the FCC for Expedited Declaratory Ruling under the TCPA, March 15, 2019
- Group comments to the FCC Opposing the Petition for Declaratory Ruling Filed by SGS North America re: Telemarketing Robocalls, Jan. 24, 2019
2018
- NCLC Comments to the FCC on the 9th Circuit Marks Decision, Oct. 17, 2018; Group ex-parte supplemental comments, Nov. 13, 2018
- Group comments to the FCC re: Rules and Regulations Implementing the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and Interpretations in Light of the D.C. Circuit‘s ACA International Decision (CG Docket No. 02-278 and CG Docket No. 18-152), June 13, 2018 and Reply comments; Ex Parte Comments to the FCC, relating to the use of reasonable reliance as a defense to wrong number calls, Jan. 28, 2019
- Consumer groups comments to the FCC in support of the FCC’s consideration of the creation of a reassigned number database, May 29, 2018
- Testimony before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation regarding the Escalating Problem of Unwanted Robocalls and What To Do About It, April 18, 2018
- Consumer groups comments to the FCC re: Advanced Methods to to Target and Eliminate Unlawful Robocalls, Feb. 22, 2018
- Consumer group comments to the FCC re: Advanced Methods to Target and Eliminate Unlawful Robocalls, Jan. 23, 2018
2017
- Group comments to FCC re: Petition for Declaratory Ruling by the FHFA on emergency communications by mortgage servicers to borrowers after a declared disaster, Dec. 4, 2017
- Comments of NCLC and other consumer groups to the FCC opposing a request for an exemption from liability by an automated texter, Outcome Health, Nov. 27, 2017.
- Group comments to the FCC opposing the Credit Union National Association petition for exemptions to the TCPA to make robocalls and text messages, Nov. 6, 2017
- Group comments to FCC on the Proposal to Develop a Reassigned Number Database, Aug. 28, 2017; Group Reply Comments, Sept. 26, 2017
- Group comments to FCC on the proposed rules regarding Advanced Methods for Blocking Robocalls, June 30, 2017
- Group comments to FCC opposing Exemptions for Ringless Voice Mail (RVM), May 18, 2017
- Group comments to the FCC re: Opposition to Petition for Reconsideration, Feb. 1, 2017
2016
- NCLC comments to the FCC re: procedures relating to retroactive waivers of liability for telemarketing callers and fax senders, Dec. 8, 2016
- Group comments to the FCC requesting additional, clarifying language to healthcare companies petition to exclude telemarketing robocalls without consent, October 18, 2016
- NCLC’s Comments Opposing Professional Services Council Petition for Reconsideration of Broadnet Ruling, Sept. 9, 2016
- Group comments to FCC opposing Mortgage Bankers Association request for exemption to allow robocalls without consent, Aug. 26, 2016
- Petition for Reconsideration of the Federal Communications Commission’s Declaratory Ruling and Request for a Stay re: Broadnet Teleservices, et al, July 26, 2016 || Press Release || Reply comments, Aug. 16, 2016 and Final comments of NCLC and 50 legal aid and public interest groups supporting reconsideration of FCC ruling and request for a stay re: Broadnet Teleservices et al , Aug. 29, 2016 || Reply comments, Sept. 15, 2016
- Comments to the FCC from NCLC and 24 national and state organizations supporting the FCC’s proposed rule to stop unwanted robocalls for federal debt and urging even greater protections, June 6, 2016 and Reply comments, June 21, 2016
- Testimony before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation regarding the importance of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act to Safeguard Consumers, May 18, 2016
- Group ex parte comments to the FCC opposing Hubbard Broadcasting’s petition for robocall exemptions, Mar. 7, 2016
2015
- Group comments to the FCC on: Blackboard, Edison Electric Institute, and American Gas Asso. petitions regarding the scope of consent to send autodialed calls and texts to cell phones, Aug. 7, 2015
- Comments to the FCC in response to the Commission’s request for comments on the Petition for a Declaratory Ruling and/or Clarification brought by Citizens Bank, March 16, 2015
- NCLC and NACA comments to the FCC re: ACA International’s Reply Comments re: for Consumer Bankers Association petition re: exemption to the Telecommunications Consumer Protection Act, Jan. 2015
2014
- Group comments to the FCC re: opposing the American Bankers Association exemption to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act to allow robocalls to cell phones, Dec. 2014
- Group comments to the FCC re: preserving the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) protections for cell phones, Nov. 2014.
- Comments to the Federal Trade Commission regarding the Telemarketing Sales Rule Regulatory Review, Nov. 2014
- Comments to the Federal Communications Commission re: Rules and Regulations Implementing the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991, Sept. 26, 2014
- Comments to the FCC opposing change to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act to allow marketing robo-calls to cell phones, Aug. 2014
- Joint comments in response to the FCC’s request for comments on the Petition for Expedited Declaratory Ruling and/or Expedited Rulemaking filed by United Healthcare Services, Inc., March 2014
Letters
2019
- Joint Letter to the US House on the “Stopping Bad Robocalls Act,” July 23, 2019
- Ex Parte to supplement the comments filed with the FCC In re Rules and Regulations Implementing the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and Interpretations in Light of the ACA International Decision, Jan. 28, 2019
2018
- Ex Parte regarding meeting between 5 consumer groups and Chairman Pai’s staff regarding pending interpretations of critical terms under the TCPA, Sept. 19, 2018
2017
- Group letter urging FCC to Initiate Enforcement Action Against Navient for Violations of the TCPA, June 14, 2017 Exhibit 1 and Exhibit 2
2016
- Group letter to U.S. Senate supporting S 3026 ROBOCOP Act to reduce robocall abuses and opposing S 2644 FCC Reauthorization Act to weaken TCPA, Nov. 15, 2016
- Letter to the U.S. House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology supporting HR 4932 (Robocop Act), Sept. 22, 2016
- Group Letter to the FCC opposing rule allowing federal government contractors to make robocalls to cellphones, July 12, 2016
- Essential Principles of Consumer Protection that the FCC Should Adopt for Calls to Collect Government Debt, March 23, 2016
- Group letter urging U.S. House of Representatives to support HR 4682 Help Americans Never Get Unwanted Phone call (HANGUP Act), March 11, 2016
2015
- Group letter urging U.S. Senators to support the Help Americans Never Get Unwanted Phone calls (HANGUP) bill, Nov. 2, 2015
- Consumer letter to the FCC re: robocalls to cell phones, June 8, 2015
- Ex parte letter to the FCC re ongoing issues related to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, April 2015
- Letter to the FCC regarding a health care industry’s request to eviscerate the TCPA protections against robocalls to cell phones, Feb. 23, 2015
- Response to Ex Parte Presentation of the National Council of Higher Education Resources, Jan 2015
- Ex parte letter to the FCC re ongoing attempts by industry to weaken the consumer protections of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, Jan. 2015
2014
- Class Actions and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, Who Benefits? Seven Myths and Facts, Aug 2014
- Group letter to FCC letter regarding Notice of Ex Parte presentation, May 2014
Litigation
2019
- Amicus brief in Salcedo v. Hanna in support of plaintiff-appellee’s petition for rehearing and rehearing en banc, Sept. 25, 2019
- Amicus brief in Evans v. Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit) arguing that the definition of automated telephone dialing systems (ATDS) under the TCPA should include devices that are able to store numbers and redial them automatically, April 1, 2019
- Amicus brief in Glasser v. Hilton Grand Vacations Company, LLC. (Federal District Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit) arguing that a robocalling telemarketer should not be permitted to evade the consumer protections of the TCPA by inserting a useless dialing agent in the middle of the process, January 24, 2019
2018
- Amicus brief in Marks v. Crunch San Diego arguing the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) pre-2015 orders are still in effect and are binding on Courts, May 21, 2018
2016
- Amicus brief in ACA International, et al. v. Federal Communications Commission, et al, (United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit) in support of affirmance of the Federal Communications Commission 2015 Omnibus Ruling and Order, January 22, 2016