Robocalls Won’t Stop? FCC Demands Telecoms to Block Spam Calls Mostly from Texas, California

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has started its latest campaign against illegal robocalls. Specifically, they are going after individuals accused of sending more than 8 billion messages regarding an advertisement for extended vehicle warranties since 2018.

According to CNN, these messages came from states such as California and Texas, as well as from outside the U.S., from countries like Hungary. They are linked to 13 individuals and six companies. U.S. telecom providers are now ordered to stop carrying the robocalls from these individuals and companies.

How Do These Robocall Auto Warranty Scams Work?

These robocalls are scams and part of a scheme from a group that bought access to nearly half a million phone numbers from more than 200 area codes between the fall and winter of 2020.

These robocalls typically begin with recorded lines which say, "We've been trying to reach you concerning your car's extended warranty," according to the FCC. They said that these calls represented the "single largest source of complaints" the Commission has had over the past two years.

According to WDSU, the group is sending millions of illegal calls per day. Using the access they bought, the group makes it seem that their robocalls come from a local number.

On their official website, the FCC warned that these calls have specific information about the person they are calling. They even have information about the car belonging to the person, as well as their car warranty information. This would make the car owners think that the call came from a legitimate source.

The FCC warns that the calls may be used to defraud people and may charge them for fake warranties that will not protect customers and their automobiles. The official FCC website also said these calls may have violated the telemarketing and robocall rules.

The FCC added that people who have received these suspected scam calls can report them and file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). They also issued a guide on Stopping Unwanted Calls and Texts.

U.S. Telecom Companies Now Have Specific Information About Robocall Group and Can Block Them

The FCC previously warned telecom companies in the United States about the groups and individuals making these robocalls. However, this was not able to stop them. Now, they have already "unmasked" the specific people and entities making these calls. The Commission has already provided the necessary information to the U.S. telecom companies, which in turn can now use the information to block these calls.

According to U.S. law, it is illegal for automated calls to be made without the recipient's consent. However, there are only a few exceptions to this rule.

The FCC added that any U.S. telecom company that continues to carry these illegal robocalls may now be liable themselves.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Robocalls: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)