John,

Some spam calls are just plain annoying, but others can be sinister, looking to scam people out of their money or private information.

With Verizon, if you want to have the highest level of protection from spam calls, it comes with a price. Verizon charges customers a monthly fee to access an app that protects them from spam calls, and leaves everyone else exposed to the risks.1

That's not right. Tell Verizon: Stop charging fees for scam call protections.

Phone companies are required by law to install robocall-fighting software, and Verizon does. But Verizon, the nation's largest cellphone company, is only offering its additional Call Filter Plus app for customers who pay an extra fee.

Scam robocalls and illegal telemarketing calls have dropped by 17% since this law passed in 2021, but scam robotexts have nearly tripled as bad actors flock to unregulated texts instead of calls.2

About 92% of Americans said they received spam calls in 2023, and 86% received spam texts. And, scams are getting worse. In 2021, about 17% of people who reported being targeted by a scam lost money, in 2024, it grew to 22%.3

The risk of falling victim to a telephone scam is too serious to not take action. Verizon has the technology to protect customers from scam calls, and it should offer it to everyone. Send a message to Verizon today.

Here's what phone companies can (and should) do to reduce spam call risks:

• Inform customers of protection services.

• Block known scam calls and spoofed numbers by default, warn on a person's screen that an incoming call may be spam or a scam, and offer a "verified number" or check mark display on the recipient's screen.

• Allow customers to opt in and filter or block illegal robocalls, calls with no Caller ID, or calls from unknown numbers through a single source in one step.

• Offer an app/service that allows customers to filter possible spam calls and texts per their preferences. i.e. block or send to voicemail only high-risk calls, or all risky calls.

In the most recent Who's Calling? report from the U.S. PIRG Education Fund, Verizon scored an "F" for not offering all of the spam protection services it has at no charge. A failing grade means the company could fail to adequately protect customers.4

There's no excuse to leave customers unprotected when Verizon has the software and ability to block many types of spam and scam calls.

Every customer should have equal protection against scam calls. Add your name today.

Thank you,

Faye Park
President

1. Teresa Murray, "Who's calling?" U.S. PIRG, February 6, 2025.
2. Teresa Murray, "Ringing in Our Fears 2024," U.S. PIRG Education Fund, October 29, 2024.
3. "Fraud Reports," Federal Trade Commission, March 7, 2025.
4. Teresa Murray, "Who's calling?" U.S. PIRG, February 6, 2025.

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