Congressional committee asks telecoms to do more to prevent scams as losses surge

A bipartisan congressional committee has demanded that AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile take stronger action to combat scams, citing a surge in cybercrime costing Americans an estimated $200 billion in 2024. In a letter sent Wednesday, Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.) and Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) criticized the telecoms for failing to adequately protect consumers, as scam calls and texts increasingly mimic legitimate communications. The committee is probing how companies collect data, monitor threats, and disrupt illegal activity, amid broader congressional scrutiny of scam-enabling services like Starlink, dating apps, and AI firms. Telecom providers blocked 55 billion spam texts and flagged or blocked 45 billion scam calls in 2024, per industry group CTIA, but scammers bypass protections. Americans received over 50 billion robocalls in 2025, while spam texts hit 19 billion monthly in 2024, according to YouMail and RoboKiller. The Federal Trade Commission ranks phone calls and texts among the top three scam vectors reported last year. USTelecom, the industry association, claims carriers trace scam origins, disrupt fraud, and assist law enforcement, but consumer advocates argue financial incentives are needed. Eden Iscil of the National Consumers League said companies lack liability pressure to prioritize prevention. Some telecoms monetize anti-scam tools, offering premium call-filtering services for fees, though critics say this conflicts with public safety goals. The push follows the 2019 TRACED Act, which mandated caller ID authentication to combat spoofing, but scam volumes persist. The committee’s investigation reflects growing frustration in Washington over organized cybercrime, with lawmakers expanding probes to tech platforms and federal agencies. The telecoms now face direct pressure to improve detection and enforcement before the next legislative session.