FCC orders phone companies to block student loan scam robocalls

Photo by: WDAY Radio Staff
Photo by: WDAY Radio Staff

(Washington, DC) -- The FCC is ordering the nation's telecommunications companies to block robocalls connected to known student loan scams.

In an order that went out Thursday, the FCC said providers must take "all necessary steps" to avoid carrying the robocall traffic that's the target of an ongoing investigation.

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement that the agency is "cutting these scammers off so they can't use efforts to provide student loan debt relief as cover for fraud."

The FCC said it appears student loan robocalls spiked after President Biden announced his student loan forgiveness program in August.