Attorney General Kris Mayes has launched the second phase of Operation Robocall Roundup, focusing on four major voice service providers: Inteliquent, Bandwidth, Lumen, and Peerless. The initiative is part of an ongoing investigation by the bipartisan Anti-Robocall Multistate Litigation Task Force. The task force has directed these companies to halt the transmission of suspected illegal robocalls through their networks.
“People are being bombarded with incessant—and frankly, illegal— robocalls and scam calls, and my office is doing something about it,” said Attorney General Mayes. “It almost makes you not want to answer the phone anymore. These companies are transmitting hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of suspected illegal robocalls and it’s absolutely unacceptable.”
Earlier in August, warning letters were sent to 37 smaller voice providers accused of allowing suspected illegal robocalls onto U.S. telephone networks. The current phase shifts attention to larger providers with significant roles in telecommunications across the country.
According to data collected since 2019, Inteliquent received 9,712 traceback notices related to suspected illegal activity and is estimated to have transmitted up to 1.425 billion Social Security Administration or IRS imposter calls over three or four years. Bandwidth was linked with over 301 million such scam calls during a similar period. Peerless was associated with more than 585 million Social Security or IRS imposter calls, while Lumen had over 886 million such incidents attributed to its network.
A traceback notice serves as an official alert from industry investigators that a company may have transmitted a call tied to a potential illegal robocall campaign. Despite receiving numerous notices and warnings over several years, all four companies reportedly continue routing large volumes of suspect calls into American households.
Attorney General Mayes emphasized that larger telecom providers bear greater responsibility for preventing repeat offenders from using their systems for fraudulent purposes.
The first phase of Operation Robocall Roundup led to measurable changes after warning letters were issued:
– Thirteen companies were removed from the FCC’s Robocall Mitigation Database.
– Nineteen companies stopped appearing in traceback results.
– At least four providers terminated accounts identified as high-risk sources for illegal traffic.
“People know these robocalls are happening, they are dealing with it everyday, and it’s our job as law enforcement to do something about it. We can’t just let Arizonans continue to be targeted for fraud and scams by these illegal callers,” said Attorney General Mayes.
The Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force was formed in 2022 by attorneys general from 51 states and territories. Led by North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, the group investigates companies believed responsible for substantial amounts of fraudulent robocall traffic entering U.S. networks.
Notice letters referenced in this operation can be found online.
