FCC Spring Cleaning Initiative Cracks Down on Unlawful Robocalling Campaigns

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has launched a "Spring Cleaning" initiative to tackle illegal robocalls that tend to spike during spring because of the tax filing deadline.

The initiative, spearheaded by the Enforcement Bureau, aims to work closely with other federal agencies to protect consumers from scammers, and safeguard the integrity of telecommunications networks.

"Tricking consumers with tax season scams is just plain wrong, but we all know it remains a common ploy. While illegal robocallers continue to try to hide from us, we’ll keep seeking them out and hold them accountable for putting consumers at risk.”

— Jessica Rosenworcel, FCC Chairwoman

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is joining the FCC initiative and issued a warning to taxpayers about aggressive scam attempts, highlighting impersonation tactics as a favored strategy among fraudsters. The Bureau's collaborative efforts with agencies like the IRS aim to address various illegal robocall campaigns that prey on consumers. IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel urged people to exercise caution regarding unsolicited messages, emphasizing the need to be vigilant year-round, not just during tax season.

Since March 2021, the FCC has been issuing [cease and desist letters](http://of caller ID authentication standards and partnerships with states and international entities) to companies suspected of originating or transmitting illegal robocall campaigns.

In the most recent development, the Enforcement Bureau issued a cease-and-desist letter on April 4, 2024 to Delaware-based voice service provider Veriwave Telco, demanding an end to its illegal robocall campaign facilitation. The Bureau warned the company that, if it does not stop its support for illegal robocalls and promptly report to the FCC the actions it has taken to prevent continued illegal activity, it may be cut off from handing call traffic off to other voice service providers.

The FCC’s Robocall Response Team has played a pivotal role in combating illegal robocalls, achieving notable successes such as blocking active scam campaigns and imposing fines on violators. They are also responsible for the widespread implementation of caller ID authentication standards and partnerships with states and international entities.

Through our ‘Spring Cleaning’ initiative, we are taking targeted actions to ensure the integrity of U.S. communications networks and increase consumers’ confidence that their phones are not being weaponized against them to commit fraud... [We] will be working closely with other agencies throughout the spring to address different illegal robocall campaigns that are harming consumers.

Loyaan Egal, FCC Enforcement Bureau Chief

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