Reports of Rampant Fraud at Overseas Call Centers Surface as States Consider Call Center Bills

WASHINGTON, DC – Amid shocking reports of the systemic theft of consumers’ personal information at overseas call centers, the Communications Workers of America today announced that five state legislatures are now considering, or have considered, their own call center worker and consumer protection legislation, while bi-partisan Congressional support for national legislation has swelled to 90-plus co-sponsors.

 The federal bill bans federal grants or guaranteed loans to American companies that move call center jobs from the U.S. overseas.

 Introduced by Rep. Tim Bishop (D-NY) and Rep. Dave McKinley (R-WV), the bill would also ensure that U.S. consumers are told the location of the call center to which they are speaking and would provide the consumer the right to transfer their call to a U.S. customer service agent, if preferred. Additionally, the legislation would create a ‘bad actors’ list of U.S companies that make a practice of sending U.S. jobs overseas.

 “It is heartening to see our colleagues at the state level building on the momentum that consumers across the country are supporting – an end of governmental support to firms that choose to take American jobs overseas,” Rep. Bishop said. “As new reports come in about rampant fraud and theft at overseas call centers, this common-sense legislation becomes more and more vital.”

 This week, reports in the British media surfaced about rampant theft of customers’ personal data after they contacted overseas call centers.

 The Communications Workers of America represents 700,000 workers nationally, including more than 150,000 customer service professionals.

Contact: Chuck Porcari or Liz Schilling, CWA Communications 202-434-1168

cporcari@cwa-union.org or eschilling@cwa-union.org