Attorneys general nationwide, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, have formed a 50-state coalition meant to crackdown on robocalls and scam calls hitting consumers. 

The task force will investigate the origins of the calls and how they are enabled to reach consumers. 

“Robocalls are more than just a nuisance, they are used to scam seniors and defraud consumers,” James said. “Across the country, phones are ringing off the hook with robocalls that sound legitimate but are actually a fraud. New Yorkers should not have to worry about being scammed whenever they answer their phone. I am proud to join this coalition to dial up our efforts to block these unwanted calls and protect consumers nationwide.”

It's estimated by the National Consumer Law Center and Electronic Privacy Information Center that more than 33 million scam calls reach Americans every day. Many of the scams include efforts to defraud people of their Social Security or false claims about Amazon purchases. 

All told, an estimated $29.8 billion has been stoled through these calls last year, James' office said. The task force will include 20 civil investigative demands to providers that are considered responsible for robocall traffic, much of it believed to originate overseas. 

James' office advises New Yorkers to be wary of callers who ask for you to pay by gift card, wire transfer or through cryptocurrency. They also advise consumers should look for pre-recorded calls claiming to be from the government. Suspected fraudulent calls should be hung up on immediately.