FTC: Robocall Efforts Are Curbing Illegal Overseas Activity

Statistics show FTC efforts to combat foreign robocalls are curbing the amount of illegal calls, the agency said Tuesday. The FTC’s Project Point of No Entry identified 24 “target point of entry service providers responsible for routing and transmitting illegal robocalls between 2021 and 2023,” the agency said, noting most illegal robocalls originate overseas. Industry Traceback Group data shows “22 of the 24 targets significantly curbed or altogether stopped the flow of illegal robocalls entering the country over their networks” after agency contact, the FTC said. Before agency contact, the targets had a combined 1,043 tracebacks, which dropped to 196 after the targets were informed of the legal ramifications, the FTC said. It can seek civil penalties and court injunctions against Telemarketing Sales Rule violations. “Of the 196, 147 are linked to two uncooperative providers, one of which is subject to an FCC law enforcement action,” the FTC said.