Last week, the Federal Communications Commission announced that it ordered U.S. phone companies to “take all necessary steps” to avoid letting robocalls about scam auto warranties go through. In 2021, the FCC received over 12,000 complaints about these fake auto warranty calls — more than any other unwanted call category. Here’s everything you need to know:
What is a robocall?
Robocalls are phone calls made with autodialers that deliver recorded messages. Political candidates can use robocalls to spread their message quickly to a lot of people, as can businesses that want to give reminders of appointments or upcoming events. A robocall that tries to sell something is illegal, unless the person being called has given written permission to be contacted. There are a variety of scam robocalls being made, with examples including a caller claiming to be with the IRS or pretending to offer debt relief. The FCC said over the last two years, it has received the most complaints about scam auto warranty robocalls.
What is the FCC doing about these scam auto warranty calls?
The FCC’s Robocall Response Team said in a statement last week that U.S. phone carriers have been ordered to stop carrying robocall traffic from an operation known to be marketing scam auto warranties; the prerecorded messages ask people to follow prompts in order to speak with a “specialist” about their vehicle’s warranty, and they are then encouraged to extend their nonexistent contract. The typical goal of…
