FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ)- Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear was among a group of 41 attorneys general that called on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Monday to help stop scam calls from out of the country.

The group encouraged the commission to adopt new rules that would broaden its authority to hold scammers accountable.

According to Beshear, Americans received almost 18 billion scam calls in 2018, a 57% increase from the amount in 2017.

The Attorney General says the FCC reports consumers lost $488 million in 2018 to imposter scams.

“Through this bipartisan coalition, I am asking the FCC to take further action to stop the barrage of scam phone calls and help end the financial losses tied to these scams,” said Beshear. “All scammers are unwelcome, especially those who intentionally trick Kentuckians by illegally using caller ID spoofing so they appear to be calling from a local, or US-based phone number.”

The FCC offers these tips to help Kentuckians avoid spoofing scams:

• Do not answer calls from unfamiliar numbers. If you answer such a call, hang up immediately.
• If a caller or a recording asks you to hit a button to stop getting calls, you should hang up. Scammers often use this trick to identify potential targets.
• Never give out personal information such as account numbers, Social Security numbers, mothers’ maiden names, passwords or any other identifying information in response to unknown callers.