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FCC bars providers for non-compliance with robocall protections

(docs.fcc.gov)
379 points impish9208 | 14 comments | 25 Aug 25 16:06 UTC | HN request time: 0.936s | source | bottom
1. godelski ◴[25 Aug 25 18:18 UTC] No.45017040[source]▶
On a side note, today and yesterday I've been bombarded with spam calls. Even got one while writing this comment. All of which have my same area code, which is for a location I haven't live at for over 15 years. No voice mail, nothing. It's not even this bad around election time.

Btw, if you haven't already, you can sign up for the FCC's Do Not Call list[0]. While obviously this isn't going to solve everything, it does make it illegal for legitimate companies to call you. Absent this incident, it did appear to have a significant effect in reducing spam calls when I signed up years ago. Also, here's some info about junk mail[1]. It costs about $6 and lasts 10 years.

[0] https://www.donotcall.gov/index.html

[1] https://consumer.ftc.gov/how-stop-junk-mail

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2. ChrisMarshallNY ◴[25 Aug 25 18:40 UTC] No.45017363[source]▶
The do not call list seems to be a "Spam me, you brute" list.

In the beginning, they seemed to take their job seriously, but I doubt that has been the case for many years.

Right after SHAKEN/STIR was passed, I got zero spoofed calls. I did get a few robocalls, but they weren't spoofed.

For a month or so. So that shows the problem can be solved, legislatively.

Then, they started coming back, and now, almost every call I get, is spoofed. This includes some legit ones.

Also, legit callers should keep in mind that the autodialer companies they employ, might also moonlight as spammers, so they get blacklisted. I have had quite a number of legit calls get listed as spam.

Cynically, I feel as if politicians are unwilling to get tough on these, because they (or their proxies) use them. That seems to be both sides of the aisle.

replies(3): >>45017812 #>>45017814 #>>45018467 #
3. MisterTea ◴[25 Aug 25 18:43 UTC] No.45017401[source]▶
Funny, Today I received TEN spam calls. Each had about half an hour in between, from various numbers and area codes. I have never received that many spam calls ever.
replies(1): >>45017532 #
4. sgc ◴[25 Aug 25 18:52 UTC] No.45017532[source]▶
I have received that many on average every day for the last 2-3 years. Nothing I can do about it, my number is public for business calls. It's absolutely rage inducing.
5. gosub100 ◴[25 Aug 25 19:14 UTC] No.45017755[source]▶
"do not call" means "call me from India on a burner number". Seriously, I've been fighting scammers for years now and their MO is some sort of SEO service where a local business pays to get more "marketing" and (probably unbeknownst to them) their money is used to fund an outbound call center in India that robodials all day long, careful to not call during the night. The calls solicit Medicare upgrades, burial insurance, or home improvement. I don't think these are the malignant "clean your bank account" scammers, they end up promoting legitimate business with the catch that "by accepting this offer you agree to be called (by the local rep) even if you are on the DNC list". So their original robodial is illegal but it's from India so good luck with that, but they record your consent if you pretend to be interested in the product, so you cannot sue the people who contracted them. It's just a classic skirt the law ploy.
6. mikestew ◴[25 Aug 25 19:19 UTC] No.45017812[source]▶
Cynically, I feel as if politicians are unwilling to get tough on these, because they (or their proxies) use them.

Of course they do, and they voted themselves an exception. Same reason some small business in Redmond, WA isn't allowed to put out a sandwich board sign, but 10 months before every election every g*ddamned piece of dirt in Redmond has a political sign stuck into it.

replies(1): >>45018577 #
7. delfinom ◴[25 Aug 25 19:19 UTC] No.45017814[source]▶
They figured out the flaw to SHAKEN/STIR. It was mandated for VOIP calls.

So instead these scam call centers switched to the legacy SS7, that's how you are getting all these fraudulent calls. SS7 is not IP based and incompatible with SHAKEN/STIR

And it'll be 400 years from now before any US telecom thinks about discontinuing SS7.

replies(1): >>45018630 #
8. godelski ◴[25 Aug 25 20:17 UTC] No.45018467[source]▶

  > Also, legit callers should keep in mind
Also, legit callers should keep in mind that using a screening service (like Google's) should mean "I'm looking at my phone but you're calling from an unknown number so why do you expect me to pick it up in a world where literally everyone knows how common spam calls are?"

As well as "If you leave a message there's a decent chance I'm going to call you back in 30 seconds, I don't want to start a game of phone tag."

If I don't know your number AND I'm not expecting a call, I 100% will not answer it. If you're legit, sorry, you are the exception, not the typical case. Don't blame me, blame the spammers.

The modern world is absolutely infuriating, filled with self-inflicted problems.

  > Right after SHAKEN/STIR was passed
It has definitely gone through ebbs and flows. Predictably around legislation about this topic. I 100% believe this is a problem that can be solved (greatly impacted) through legislation given this strong correlation. But I don't think it is because the DNC list is a list to call but rather that I've had this number for a few decades and it definitely made it onto some list years ago.

  > moonlight as spammers
This is 100% happening. As well as a lot of other illegal stuff. I worked at a call center for two months between my undergrad and getting hired and my coked up bosses 100% asked us to do illegal things. I disobeyed. Anytime someone asked me to take them off the list I complied. Got written up, didn't give a fuck. They were definitely selling those lists to spammers who were happy to have confirmation that the numbers were legitimate.
9. godelski ◴[25 Aug 25 20:26 UTC] No.45018577{3}[source]▶
Funny enough, when that Roy Moore scandal was unfolding I was living in The South and I kept getting calls and voicemails from someone named "Bernie Bernstein" who was definitely trying their best impression of Bernie Sanders while telling me about how Democrats are pedophiles.
10. thrtythreeforty ◴[25 Aug 25 20:29 UTC] No.45018607[source]▶
I have an app on Android called SpamBlocker. I added a regex rule to deny any call from my area code - like you, I haven't lived there for a long time. I'd 100% recommend this approach.
replies(1): >>45021244 #
11. criddell ◴[25 Aug 25 20:31 UTC] No.45018630{3}[source]▶
I wish I could tell my phone to return a busy signal for unknown numbers lacking whatever it is that SHAKEN/STIR provides.
12. runako ◴[25 Aug 25 21:04 UTC] No.45018994[source]▶
> All of which have my same area code, which is for a location I haven't live at for over 15 years

I am in a similar situation. One of my not-yet-implemented projects is to route my phone through a VOIP app that automatically blocks any number from my phone's area code (or even the whole state) where the caller is not in my contact list.

replies(1): >>45019160 #
13. godelski ◴[25 Aug 25 21:18 UTC] No.45019160[source]▶
A few times it has been bad enough I've thought about picking up learning how to make phone apps so that I can one click report the numbers to the FCC. I'm not sure it'll do something but making an explicit "fuck you, do something about this" statement tends to help. Squeaky wheel and all that... (Why is this not a feature in the base phone app?)
14. zfnmxt ◴[26 Aug 25 01:30 UTC] No.45021244[source]▶
I also did exactly this and do not receive any spam calls anymore.