Have you been getting fewer robocalls lately?

The National Do Not Call Registry data supports what you already noticed. February Do Not Call Registry reports fell 30% from

February 2019. March registry complaints were down 53% from March 2019.

Jokes on social media suggest robocalls aren’t an “essential service.”

Truthfully, you have the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to thank. Why?

Voice over Internet Protocol firms use the internet for calls. They are a favorite tool of robocallers and telemarketing scammers.

In December 2019 the FTC filed suit against VoIP provider Globex Telecom for their role in robocalls. In January the FTC wrote 19 VoIP providers about consumer protection law violations.

At the end of March, the FTC sent 9 warning letters to more VoIP providers. These particular companies were helping corona virus scammers.

Many more telecommunications companies are out there. The FTC recognizes more work is needed but the VoIP companies corrected their behavior for billions of fraudulent calls.

In April, the FTC partnered with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The agencies sent joint letters to 3 more VoIP providers and US Telecom, a trade group of US telecommunication businesses.

In a statement, FTC Chairman Joe Simons said, “The FTC will not stand for illegal robocallers that harm the public, particularly in the middle of a health crisis.” He went on to say that when it comes to scam robocalls, if providers are not part of the solution, they are part of the problem.

Providers who ignore warnings from the FTC and FCC will face harsh consequences and potential law enforcement action.

Report scam and robocalls to the FTC at: https://www.donotcall.gov/report.html