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FCC will require phone carriers to authenticate calls by June 2021 [pdf]

docs.fcc.gov

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Re: FCC will require phone carriers to authenticate calls by June 2021 [pdf]

#61

Post by StavrosK »

robert_foss wrote: post #57
Negitivefrags wrote: post #31

Why is this problem unique to the USA? I'm not saying I never get spam calls, but I certainly have to scroll back quite a bit in my phone call history to see the last one. Also, on the rare occasion I do get a spam call it's always from some random international country like South Sudan or Oman that I would never expect a phone call from. What makes this problem uniquely hard to solve for the USA as opposed to anywhe…

In Sweden telephone operators can be forbidden from let spam categorized numbers reach you. That and you know.. breaking the law has actual consequences for both spammers and telcos.

Same in Greece, I think it's EU-wide. When you tell a spammer you're registered in our do-not-call registry, they get scared pretty quickly and swear they'll never call again. They usually don't.

Re: FCC will require phone carriers to authenticate calls by June 2021 [pdf]

#62

Post by bigbird-media »

Summary:

The Federal Communications Commission adopted new rules requiring caller ID authentication using technical standards known as “STIR/SHAKEN.” These rules will further the FCC’s efforts to protect consumers against malicious caller ID “spoofing,” which is often used during robocall scam campaigns.

Re: FCC will require phone carriers to authenticate calls by June 2021 [pdf]

#63

Post by kube-system »

Negitivefrags wrote: post #31

Why is this problem unique to the USA? I'm not saying I never get spam calls, but I certainly have to scroll back quite a bit in my phone call history to see the last one. Also, on the rare occasion I do get a spam call it's always from some random international country like South Sudan or Oman that I would never expect a phone call from. What makes this problem uniquely hard to solve for the USA as opposed to anywhe…

The US just has a lot of VoIP providers, English speakers, and is a high income country. It is just an easy target.

Re: FCC will require phone carriers to authenticate calls by June 2021 [pdf]

#64

Post by skrtskrt »

phs2501 wrote: post #49
skrtskrt wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

ANIs will still get "spoofed" as there are many legitimate use cases, but you have to "have permission" to use the number you're spoofing, meaning either you own the number or your underlying service provider owns it on your behalf. The legitimate use case is basically: I am placing this outbound call over VOIP or a different phone line, but I want this ANI to show up on the callee's phone, so when they call back the…

The issue is when I have a automated answering system (asterisk, for a museum). It rattles off some prerecorded info, possibly with prompting. To talk to a human, I need to forward the caller (I.e. call and set up a voice bridge since the caller is already connected to me) to one of our volunteers, which will be to their cell phone (we are a railway museum and we don't have a staffed office on weekdays). I want to fo…

This should still be available, though it will likely take some work from the underlying software provider to be compliant.

The goal of the regulation is to cut down spam/scam calling, not legitimate uses, and the telecom providers know these uses and lobby heavily to make sure they'll still be allowed to work.

The telecom providers don't like scam calls either, or more specifically they don't like short calls. All the work and compute power in telecom is used to set up the call, then the cost of keeping it going is minimal so the longer the call goes on, the more economical it is for the provider

Re: FCC will require phone carriers to authenticate calls by June 2021 [pdf]

#65

Post by reaperducer »

hirundo wrote: post #36

90% of my phone calls are from the same outfit informing me that this is my last chance to renew the extended warranty on my car. Based on my call history that recording is officially my best friend. And a very forgiving one given that it has been my last chance hundreds of times over the past several years. I hope this regulation won't interfere with our relationship.

100% of the spam calls on my work phone in the last six months have been trying to sell me Marriott time shares.

I don't know if it's actually Marriott or not. I suspect it's just one of those "affiliate marketing" scumbags, but it still makes the brand look bad.

Re: FCC will require phone carriers to authenticate calls by June 2021 [pdf]

#66

Post by morei »

mrlala wrote: post #40
Negitivefrags wrote: post #31

Why is this problem unique to the USA? I'm not saying I never get spam calls, but I certainly have to scroll back quite a bit in my phone call history to see the last one. Also, on the rare occasion I do get a spam call it's always from some random international country like South Sudan or Oman that I would never expect a phone call from. What makes this problem uniquely hard to solve for the USA as opposed to anywhe…

If you were setting up a little scam operation.. who would you target? Would you decide to set it up to call over 40 different countries in europe? Each with their own way to show phone numbers.. each carrier attempting to block spam calls in different ways.. each country virtually speaking a different language.. most countries having some different banking/credit card systems.. Or would you target the united states…

That argument just suggests that the US has more scam operations, not that it has all of them. Crowding out is still an effect, so scam operations are incentivized to target other countries as the US becomes fully 'supplied' with scammers.

Re: FCC will require phone carriers to authenticate calls by June 2021 [pdf]

#67

Post by SketchySeaBeast »

zszugyi wrote: post #51
SketchySeaBeast wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm struggling with the decision of whether to automatically block anyone not in my contact list and leave a message in my voicemail explaining why. Don't want to be unfriendly, but it's only getting more ridiculous.

I did try it for a bit, but it was annoying when Uber drivers and delivery people were trying to reach me.

Yeah, that's my fear as well - I'd miss signal in the noise filtering.

Re: FCC will require phone carriers to authenticate calls by June 2021 [pdf]

#68

Post by reaperducer »

Negitivefrags wrote: post #31

Why is this problem unique to the USA? I'm not saying I never get spam calls, but I certainly have to scroll back quite a bit in my phone call history to see the last one. Also, on the rare occasion I do get a spam call it's always from some random international country like South Sudan or Oman that I would never expect a phone call from. What makes this problem uniquely hard to solve for the USA as opposed to anywhe…

Why is this problem unique to the USA?

Every time this topic comes up on HN, someone asks that same question.

Then there's a bunch of responses that are lots of suppositions.

Then several people from small European countries chime in saying they've never had a spam call.

Then a bunch of Europeans from large countries show up saying they get spam calls, too, and it's not just an American thing.

"Why is this problem unique to the USA?" is pretty much a meme at this point.

Also...

You start with "Why is this problem unique to the USA?" Then follow immediately with, "I'm not saying I never get spam calls" which means it's not unique to the USA. So your first sentence is invalid.

Re: FCC will require phone carriers to authenticate calls by June 2021 [pdf]

#69

Post by kube-system »

Elv13 wrote: post #55
throwaway894345 wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What solutions does Europe, etc have that the US doesn't? Genuine question.

* Not directly related to SPIT (phone SPAM), but one is https://www.wired.com/story/sim-swap-fix-carriers-banks/ . * Carrier maintainer blacklists and other tools have also been used by providers for a long time. * My provider, Voip.ms, enforces a provenance whitelist by default. This block all SPIT calls coming from unspoofed caller ids. That may not sound like a lot, but yes, many of those calls are just random poe…

Canada's non-telemarketing list that was implemented in 2004 is essentially a copy of the US legislation that was passed the year prior. It doesn't help though, as neither the US nor Canada have jurisdiction in India, et al.

Re: FCC will require phone carriers to authenticate calls by June 2021 [pdf]

#70

Post by jfengel »

MaxBarraclough wrote: post #38
catalogia wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That would suck, but fear of that scenario isn't enough to make me answer my phone for spammers 5 times a day.

Also, I'd hope they'd have the initiative to leave both a voicemail and an SMS.

Especially with a service like Google Voice that will transcribe your voicemails. I will look at those; it takes a fraction of a second to dismiss the spam.

Fortunately, I only get a few of those a week, so far.

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