Scam Calls: The STIR/SHAKEN Deadline Has Come and Gone … Now What?

Illegal robocalls ended on June 30th thanks to STIR/SHAKEN. Sure … if only it were that simple.

Here’s what happened on June 30, why scam calls are still happening, and what the future holds for call protection.

So What DID Happen on June 30th?

While we know many of the major carriers had already deployed STIR/SHAKEN (or were well on their way to being STIR/SHAKEN compliant in advance of June 30^th), the mandate dictated requirements to providers to implement STIR/SHAKEN to all Internet Protocol (IP) portions of their network. Furthermore, the FCC requires that all providers certify in the Robocall Mitigation Database that they have fully implemented STIR/SHAKEN or have instituted a robocall mitigation program to ensure that they are not originating illegal robocalls.

According to FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, “While there is no silver bullet in the endless fight against scammers, STIR/SHAKEN will turbo-charge many of the tools we use in our fight against robocalls: from consumer apps and network-level blocking, to enforcement investigations and shutting down the gateways used by international robocall campaigns. This is a good day for American consumers who – like all of us – are sick and tired of illegal spoofed robocalls.”

With the new FCC mandate in effect, there might be some reduction in these potentially disruptive & harmful calls. However, as it’s been pointed out before, STIR/SHAKEN alone is not the holistic answer to stopping scam and illegal robocalls.

So, while the requirements for June 30^th have passed, there is still more to come as part of this mandate. Beginning September 28^th, carriers will also rely on information residing in the Robocall Mitigation Database and will begin blocking traffic coming from carriers that are not listed in the database.

Why Haven’t Scam Calls Gone Away?

Phone scams are big business. From June 2020 to 2021, Americans lost nearly 30 Billion dollars to scammers. If you put that number up against the companies ranked on the Fortune 500, scammers would be sitting at #101. So as innovative technology continues to emerge and temporarily disrupt the scammer’s livelihood, we’ll see scammers develop new practices to reach consumers as a countermeasure. Scammers will continue to evolve, and you need a holistic solution that continues to evolve as well.

In addition to implementing STIR/SHAKEN and including the Robocall Mitigation database into your protection strategies, having a robust analytics solution is key in curbing and stopping these bad actors.

The Future Fight Against Scam Calls

As you evaluate and navigate a path to a comprehensive call protection solution that includes STIR/SHAKEN, partnering with a vendor that uses machine learning and big data is paramount. It’s essential to choose a forward-thinking provider that is focused on where the scammers and the industry are going. Furthermore, you need a solution developed and supported by genuine and seasoned data scientists, where there is a continued investment in new training, tooling and methodologies to stay ahead of the latest scam tactics. A branded calling solution can help in the fight against scam calls by verifying your call, identifying your business, and providing the reason for the call.

First Orion Solutions

First Orion is a leading innovator of call protection and branded calling solutions. We’ve been in this industry since 2008, and we rely on our team of data analysts, scientists, and engineers to improve the mobile calling experience for carriers, companies, and consumers.

Our Transparency Hub is an all-encompassing solution for STIR/SHAKEN, Scam Protection, Spoof Detection, call validation analytics, and much more. Contact us today to get started.