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

WASHINGTON: 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.

“Consumers need to be able to trust that the calls and texts they receive – from their doctor’s office or their child’s school, for example – are authentic. Scam communications, however, are increasingly difficult to distinguish from legitimate messages, and too much of the burden of detection is falling on customers,” Rep. David Schweikert, R.-Ariz., the chairman of the Joint Economic Committee, and Sen.