The Bad PlacePBS NewsHour - The Latest | As losses from scams surge, Congress asks telecoms to do more to prevent them by Erika Kinetz, Associated Press, Juliet Linderman, Associated Press
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A powerful joint congressional committee is pressing major telecoms—AT&T, Verizon and T‑Mobile—to step up protection against the exploding wave of cyber scams that cost Americans an estimated $200 billion in 2024, urging the companies to share data, monitor fraudulent activity and take decisive action against bad actors. The request, signed by Rep. David Schweikert and Sen. Maggie Hassan, comes amid growing concern over billions of unwanted calls and texts that continue to slip through existing defenses despite the 2019 TRACED Act’s caller‑ID authentication requirements; industry groups report that carriers blocked 55 billion spam texts and 45 billion scam calls in 2024, yet Americans still received more than 50 billion robocalls in 2025 and 19 billion spam texts each month. Telecoms say they are tracing scam sources and supporting law‑enforcement investigations, while some are turning anti‑scam tools into paid services. Consumer advocates argue stronger financial incentives or liability are needed to compel firms to go further, and the story is part of an AP‑Frontline collaboration highlighting the broader push to curb fraud.
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As losses from scams surge, Congress asks telecoms to do more to prevent them
A powerful congressional committee is urging major telecommunications companies to do more to protect Americans against scams, part of a widening investigation into the role that U.S. companies play in the surge in cyberscams that cost Americans an estimated $200 billion in 2024.