What did the FCC just ban from being used in robocalls?

The FCC's ban on AI-generated robocalls comes in response to growing concern about bad actors using AI to mimic someone's likeness and voice to spread misinformation .

What is the $300 million fine?

The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday cracked down on a massive illegal robocall operation responsible for billions of auto-warranty scam calls in recent years, with regulators imposing a record $300 million fine on what authorities said is the largest such network it has ever investigated .

What is the FCC ruling on robocalls?

The FCC announced the unanimous adoption of a Declaratory Ruling that recognizes calls made with AI-generated voices are "artificial" under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) .

Are FCC AI calls illegal?

Any call made using an “automatic telephone dialing system” or an artificial or prerecorded voice is considered a “robocall” by the Commission. The TCPA prohibits such calls made without the prior express consent of the called party .

The FCC just fined a robocall company $300 million after blocking billions of scam calls (2024)

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"We've been trying to reach you concerning your vehicle's extended warranty."

ByChristianna Silva onAugust 4, 2023

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WeVe BeEn TrYiNg To ReAcH yOu AbOuT yOuR cArS eXtEnDeD wArRaNtYCredit: Getty images

The guys who have been trying to reach you concerning your vehicle's extended warranty as a facade to get your personal and financial information were just fined the most money in FCC history.

First, the Federal Communications Commission told phone companies to block the numbers that sent it, decreasing the number of calls by 99 percent. And, on Thursday, the FCC issued a record-breaking $299,997,000 fine to the callers.

"An international network of companies violated federal statutes and the Commission’s regulations when they executed a scheme to make more than five billion robocalls to more than 500 million phone numbers during a three-month span in 2021, including violating federal spoofing laws by using more than one million different caller ID numbers in an attempt to disguise the true origin of the robocalls and trick victims into answering the phone," the agency said in a statement.

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It was the largest illegal robocall operation the FCC has ever investigated, so it's no wonder that "we've been trying to reach you concerning your vehicle's extended warranty" became meme-worthy.

The FCC just fined a robocall company $300 million after blocking billions of scam calls (2024)

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