Most people are familiar with the nuisance that is robocalling. You get a call from an unknown phone number, and if you answer it, you either are greeted by a telemarketer or receive an unasked-for political campaign. Sometimes, though, spam calls are actually scammers attempting some type of fraud.

It’s grown to be an increasingly annoying problem for many people, but luckily, action is being taken by government agencies to mitigate these problems. Keep reading to learn more about the latest developments between the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and robocalling.

What exactly are robocalls?

Robocalls are automated phone calls that use a computerized system to deliver prerecorded messages to a large number of people. They are largely used for marketing purposes, but many people also use them for more nefarious means. There are a few ways to try and avoid robocalls. You can register your number on the National Do Not Call Registry, and you can avoid answering the phone from unknown numbers. If you do receive one, don’t engage in it, as that can cause more robocalls. However, even by taking all these steps, you can still receive these calls, which is why the FCC has stepped in.

What’s happening with the FCC and robocalling?

Knowing that robocalling could develop into a big problem, Congress enacted the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). This helped restrict the making of telemarketing calls and the use of automatic telephone dialing systems and artificial or prerecorded voice messages. However, even with these measures, the problem has only gotten worse in recent years.

That’s why, more recently, the FCC has adopted new regulations to combat robocalling. In December 2020, they adopted a Fourth Report and Order that requires voice service providers to implement STIR/SHAKEN caller ID authentication technology. The FCC also established a Robocall Mitigation Database, which requires voice service providers to report their efforts to combat robocalling and to certify that they are implementing STIR/SHAKEN.

Telecommunications providers must comply with these new regulations to avoid penalties and fines from the FCC. They must also take proactive measures to prevent robocalling, such as implementing call-blocking technology and monitoring their networks for suspicious activities.

In addition to these measures, the FCC is collaborating with six different bureaus and offices tasked with coordinating and implementing the agency’s anti-robocall efforts. They hope to better enforce the law against providers of illegal robocalls, create new policies to authenticate calls, and educate providers about how they can help.

FCC and robocalling fines.

As an ongoing effort to mitigate this problem, the FCC has issued many large fines to individuals and organizations that violate these rules. According to the FCC, they’ve issued fines over recent years in the hundreds of millions of dollars. An Arizona marketer was hit with a $37.5 million fine, a North Carolina-based health insurance telemarketer was fined $82 million, and a Texas-based health insurance telemarketer was fined $225 million.

As recently as December 2022, however, the FCC has proposed its largest fine ever. Cox/Jones Enterprise, an auto warranty scam robocaller, could be fined nearly $300 million for placing 5.19 billion calls to 550 million phone numbers between January 2021 and March 2021.

Do you want to learn more about the FCC and robocalling?

Reach out to the team of experts at Prescott-Martini. Bringing 175 years of extensive professional experience, we are an authorized STIR/SHAKEN provider of digital certificates that help block illegal robocalling and phone scams. We help companies comply with the Federal TRACE Act and other regulations, and we can help you understand how to remain compliant with FCC and robocalling requirements.

You can learn more about our process online, or contact us to set up an initial consultation.