Call-Blocking Systems Hampering CU Attempts to Reach Members, NAFCU Tells FCC

Contending that there has been a “drastic” increase in the number of legitimate calls from credit unions being blocked, NAFCU on Wednesday asked the FCC to order telephone service providers to stop aggressively blocking calls until an industry call authentication system is fully implemented.

“The current call blocking landscape has created a litany of problems for legitimate businesses seeking to contact their members on important, time-sensitive information,” Mahlet Makonnen, NAFCU’s regulatory affairs counsel, said in a letter to the agency.

Currently, she said, there is no uniform standard for service providers to use.

She pointed out the FCC has historically prohibited call blocking by service providers. However, in June 2019, the commission encouraged the implementation of a framework to do that and provided a limited safe harbor from liability for service providers.

Makonnen said NAFCU supports the commission’s effort to use a fully tested framework known as STIR/SHAKEN, but added that it must “be designed to ensure that important and often time-sensitive calls that legitimate businesses, including credit unions, place to their customers are not blocked.”

Until that framework is finalized, some servicers are using their own systems.

She said the rise of ineffective blocking efforts has had a significant impact on credit union efforts trying to reach members.

“Currently, these calls are experiencing delays or not being completed at all due to the unclear and inconsistent call blocking environment,” she wrote.

As a result, she said, some credit unions have been unable to reach members with crucial account information.