Cybersecurity Policy Report, Rules to Rein in Foreign Call Centers Proposed by FCC, (Mar 27, 2026)

By Lynn Stanton

The FCC yesterday voted unanimously to seek comment on a number of proposals aimed at addressing problems with communications service providers’ call centers located outside of the U.S.—problems the Commission says include risks to consumers’ private data, national security threats, and enabling illegal robocall scams.

“Bad actors often leverage the training and infrastructure of legitimate call centers to defraud Americans. In addition, overseas call centers often work with customers’ sensitive payment and account information, posing a risk to privacy, data protection, and national security,” the FCC said in a press release.

The notice of proposed rulemaking adopted in CG dockets 26-52, 17-59, and 02-278 proposes requiring communication providers that use foreign call centers to ensure that all calling staff are proficient in both written and spoken American Standard English; to limit the percentage of customer calls answered by foreign call centers; to inform customers at the beginning of each call involving a foreign call center that the call is being handled outside of the United States; and to transfer calls to a call center within the U.S. at the customer’s request, according to John B. Adams, special counsel in the Consumer Policy Division of the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, who presented the item at the Commission’s meeting.

The NPRM also requires providers to handle certain types of consumer transactions only at call centers within the U.S., to provide additional disclosure regarding the percentage of calls handled at foreign call centers, and to file compliance reports, Mr. Adams said. It prohibits providers from using call centers or customer service representatives in foreign adversary nations, he added.

The NPRM seeks comment on whether the proposed rules should be applied to nonvoice communications such as online chat, text, or e-mails handled at foreign customer service centers and on whether to require bonds or fees with respect to illegal robocallers operating from the foreign call centers, Mr. Adams said.

Commissioner Anna Gomez said, “Consumers rely on customer support lines to solve the problems they experience with communications services. Thus, questions about how to improve the customer service experience are within our remit and a meaningful way to ensure we continue to serve the public.

“I look forward to hearing from consumers about the proposals we present today, as well as from service providers about the extensive new regulations with which they would be required to comply,” she added.

Commissioner Oliva Trusty said, “A trusted, reliable, and secure communications ecosystem is paramount to ensuring that consumers continue to benefit from a dynamic marketplace where innovation and investment can thrive. And so, I welcome today’s NPRM to address risks to Americans that originate from call centers located overseas.

“In particular,” she emphasized, “I appreciate the Notice’s focus on protecting the privacy and security of consumers’ sensitive information and proposing ways to more proactively identify and mitigate threats before they impact American consumers.”

Chairman Brendan Carr said, “Too often, foreign call centers have meant confusing service, delayed support, and even security risks. In many cases, scammers get trained at legitimate call centers and either access your data illegally or take their training to a foreign robocall operation. It is time for this offshoring to end.

“American consumers deserve call centers that speak proficient English, provide clear answers, and are based here at home—not halfway around the world,” he continued.

“The FCC will also be opening up a new front in our efforts to block illegal robocalls from abroad by examining the targeted use of fees or bonds. Specifically, we are identifying ways to address illegal robocall scams that originate inside foreign call centers, such as ways we can take the profit out of those operations,” he added.

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