FCC mandates phone companies to block scam texts.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has finalized rules requiring mobile carriers to block illegal robotext messages. Carriers must block texts from invalid, unallocated, or unused numbers, as well as numbers that the subscriber has self-identified as never sending text messages. The FCC is also seeking public comment on further proposals to require providers to block texts from entities the FCC has cited as illegal robotexters. The FCC is proposing to close the "lead generator loophole" and take further public comment on text authentication measures and other proposals to continue to fight illegal scam robotexts.