West Virginia is joining the national fight against robocalls.
West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced Wednesday the state has joined a bipartisan task force with one goal: reduce illegal robocalls.
The Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force brings together 50 attorneys general to investigate and take legal action against the telecommunications companies responsible for letting a majority of foreign robocalls into the United States.
In a press release, Morrisey said, “One of the most frequent complaints our office has received has concerned robocalls and the scams they often produce.”
The attorney general’s office estimates $29.8 billion was stolen through scam robocalls in 2021.
Morrisey offers the following tips to avoid scams and unwanted calls:
- Be wary of callers who specifically ask you to pay by gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency. For example, the Internal Revenue Service does not accept iTunes gift cards.
- Look out for prerecorded calls from imposters posing as government agencies. Typically, the Social Security Administration does not make any phone calls to individuals.
- If you suspect fraudulent activity, immediately hang up and do not provide any personal information.
- Contact the office’s Consumer Protection Division at 800-368-8808 or file a complaint at www.ago.wv.gov.