MARQUETTE — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced that she is supporting the Federal Communications Commission’s proposal to help cut down on unwanted text messages by requiring mobile wireless providers to block texts from invalid, unassigned or unused numbers, and from numbers on a Do Not Originate list.   

“Robotexts are increasingly used by bad actors in the face of effective law enforcement efforts targeting illegal robocalls,” Nessel said in a news release. “Text messaging is the preferred mode of communication for many consumers, and deceptive robotexts exploit consumers’ trust in the information they receive via text.

“I have made it a priority to protect Michigan residents from robocalls and I am taking a stand against robotexts, which put consumers in danger of becoming victims. The best way to combat these texts is to block them at the network level. I stand with my colleagues in supporting the FCC’s efforts to bring illegal text message enforcement in line with illegal robocalls.” 

The coalition of 51 attorneys general support the FCC’s proposal to require mobile wireless providers to block unlawful text messages at the network level if they originate from fraudulent numbers. Further, the attorneys general are asking the FCC to continue pushing the wireless industry to develop call authentication technology for text messages so people can know if the texts they receive are from spoofed numbers and so law enforcement can investigate where these texts are coming from.