FCC fines robocaller $120 million for making almost 100 million calls.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the United States has issued a robocall spammer with a fine amounting to 120 million USD. The robocaller was fined for using a scheme called "Neighbour Spoofing".

What Neighbour Spoofing does is it hides the caller's real number with one that uses your phone number's area code as its first three digits, making the trap more luring and likely that you will pick up.

Details on the case emerged a year ago after the FCC said the spammer was in violation of the "Truth in Caller ID Act.".

The Truth in Caller ID legislation prohibits callers from deliberately falsifying caller ID information to disguise their identity with the intent to "harm, defraud, or wrongfully obtain anything of value".

Adrian Abramovich, the accused, allegedly made 96 million spoofed robocalls during a three-month period. It is said that the FCC's fine was based on 80,000 spoofed calls that they verified.

Abramovich's motive behind the spoof calls: His operation made the spoofed calls to trick consumers into answering and listening to his advertising messages. To worsen the situation, consumers who continued with the call were transferred to foreign call centres where operators attempted to sell vacation packages.

In his defence arguments to the FCC, Abramovich said that the fine should be significantly lower due to the fact that he had no intention to cause harm. He also added that the amount was unconstitutional.

The FCC was not moved by his arguments and went ahead with the full fine considered in 2017.

“The forfeiture is warranted by the facts of this case. Abramovich was responsible for the most extensive caller ID spoofing schemes we have ever encountered, and he caused companies and individuals extensive harm,” said the FCC.

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Posted 12 May 2018 | Frederik Herholdt.

#FCC #FederalCommunicationsCommission #AdrianAbramovich