[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 94 (Wednesday, May 16, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27569-27570]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-9336]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[DA 07-2006]


FCC Alerts Public and Merchants of Fraudulent Credit Card 
Purchases Through Internet Protocol (IP) Relay Service, a Form of 
Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS)

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission urges merchants to use 
caution in handling telephone orders for goods. The Commission has 
received informal complaints that people without disabilities, who are 
posing as deaf or hard of hearing consumers, are misusing an Internet 
base telecommunications relay service (``TRS'' or ``Relay Service'') 
called ``IP Relay'' to perpetrate fraudulent business transactions, 
often by using stolen or fake credit cards.

ADDRESSES: Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20554.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dana Jackson, (202) 418-2247 (voice), 
(202) 418-7898 (TTY), or e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of document DA 07-2006, 
released May 4, 2007. The full text of document DA 07-2006 and copies 
of any subsequently filed documents relating to this matter will be 
available for public inspection and copying during regular business 
hours at the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th 
Street, SW., Room CY-A257, Washington, DC 20554. Document DA 07-2006 
and copies of subsequently filed documents in this matter may also be 
purchased from the Commission's contractor at Portals II, 445 12th 
Street, SW., Room CY-B402, Washington, DC 20554. Customers may contact 
the Commission's contractor at their Web site http://www.bcpiweb.com or 
by calling 1-800-378-3160.
    To request materials in accessible formats for people with 
disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), 
send an e-mail to [email protected] or call the Consumer & Governmental 
Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice) or (202) 418-0432 (TTY). 
Document DA 07-2006 can also be downloaded in Word and Portable 
Document Format (PDF) at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb.dro.

Synopsis

    The Commission urges merchants to use caution in handling telephone 
orders for goods. Merchants that accept orders made by telephone for 
goods and services should take steps to ensure that, for any order 
placed by phone, the payment method or credit card is valid and the 
purchaser is authorized to use the particular credit card. In addition, 
there are some indicia of fraudulent telephone orders or business 
transactions that merchants can use to help determine if an order 
placed by phone is legitimate. These indicia include a caller who: (1) 
Is happy to order ``whatever you have in stock''; (2) supplies multiple 
credit cards as one or more are declined; (3) cannot provide the credit 
card verification code number

[[Page 27570]]

(the three digit number on the back of the card); (4) wants the goods 
shipped through a third party and/or an overseas location; (5) will not 
identify himself or give a company name; (6) changes delivery or 
payment method after an order has been approved.
    The Commission reminds merchants that TRS provides access to 
telephone services for people who are deaf or hard of hearing or who 
have a speech disability. This is accomplished through TRS facilities 
that are staffed by specially trained communications assistants (CAs) 
(also called `relay operators') who relay conversations between people 
who use different types of telecommunications devices. Initially, all 
Relay Service calls were made to or from a text telephone (TTY) 
connected to a regular telephone line. The CA served as the ``link'' in 
the conversation, converting TTY text for the TTY user to voice for the 
telephone user to hear, and converting voice messages to text for the 
TTY user to read. Many TRS users now use a computer or similar device 
and the Internet to communicate with an ``IP Relay'' CA, who continues 
to serve as the ``link'' to the telephone user. Advancements in 
technology are enabling other forms of TRS as well, such as connecting 
through video conferencing equipment with a CA who is a sign language 
interpreter. See FCC's Fact Sheet about TRS at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/trs.html. The Commission also reminds merchants who 
accept telephone orders that they must not ``hang up'' on calls made 
through a Relay Service. Title III of the Americans with Disabilities 
Act of 1990 (ADA) requires merchants to ensure that people with 
disabilities have access to their services. Therefore, if a merchant 
accepts telephone orders from the general public, the merchant cannot 
refuse to accept calls from people who are deaf or hard of hearing or 
who have a speech disability who call through a Relay Service. Calls 
made through a Relay Service can and must be handled in the same way as 
any telephone call. For more information on the applicability of the 
ADA in this context, see generally the United States Department of 
Justice's ADA homepage, at http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htm or 
contact the DOJ ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (voice) or 800-
514-0383 (TTY).
    Purchases made with stolen or fake credit cards are illegal, and 
the Department of Justice and the FBI can investigate. The Federal 
Trade Commission is also aware of this problem. Persons who have been 
defrauded should contact the FTC directly at http://www.ftc.gov or 877-
FTC-HELP. The FBI also has a Web site for complaints and information 
regarding Internet crimes: http://www.ic3.gov. The public may also 
contact the FCC's Consumer Assistance Information Line at 1-888-225-
5322 (voice) or 1-888-835-5322 (TTY). The Commission has a pending 
Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking which is examining other steps 
the FCC might take to prevent misuse of the IP Relay.
    See http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-06-58A1.doc.

Federal Communications Commission.
Jay Keithley,
Deputy Bureau Chief, Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau.
[FR Doc. E7-9336 Filed 5-15-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P