FCC seeks comment on KYC revision for commercial phone calls

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed stronger KYC requirements for voice service providers to prevent scams and illegal calls from reaching potential victims in American homes and businesses. Enhanced KYC can also make accountability for scam calls that get through to victims easier, the FCC states.

Cutting down on illegal and fraudulent calls is currently the FCC’s top priority for consumer protection, according to a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.

To that end, the NPR specifies that the FCC wants to hear what customer identification requirements should be for new and returning customers, what customer data service providers should be required to verify, retain and re-verify and what additional information could be required of high-volume customers or “originating providers” using gear associated with robocalls. The agency also wants to know how new KYC requirements can complement call branding and caller name requirements under consideration.

The NPR decided not to include KYC portability in its proposal, out of concern that it could create a loophole that undermines its framework.

“Specifically, we seek comment on requiring originating providers to, at a minimum, obtain and retain the name, physical address, government issued identification number, and an alternate telephone number of any new and renewing customer before granting access to its services,” the FCC says.

“Would requiring the collection of this information help cut down on illegal calls?” the agency asks in its NPR.

The FCC proposal would also shift penalties for KYC rule violations to a per call basis. The proposal includes fines for violations, ranging from $1,000 to $15,000.

The same issue is also a challenge for protecting businesses from fraud attacks. Dock Labs has developed a decentralized digital identity solution called Trusted Caller Identity for call centers and other businesses, in partnership with Telefónica Tech and TMT ID. The company demonstrated the technology in a recent webinar, and will reveal the results of a PoC using it in a follow-up online event next week.

The FCC is seeking comments on its KYC proposal through May 31.

Article Topics

caller authentication  |  FCC  |  fraud prevention  |  identity verification  |  KYC