The FCC just fined a robocall company $300 million after blocking billions of scam calls

"We've been trying to reach you concerning your vehicle's extended warranty."
By Christianna Silva  on 
Person screaming at his phone
WeVe BeEn TrYiNg To ReAcH yOu AbOuT yOuR cArS eXtEnDeD wArRaNtY Credit: Getty images

The guys who have been trying to reach you concerning your vehicle's extended warranty as a facade to get your personal and financial information were just fined the most money in FCC history.

First, the Federal Communications Commission told phone companies to block the numbers that sent it, decreasing the number of calls by 99 percent. And, on Thursday, the FCC issued a record-breaking $299,997,000 fine to the callers. 

"An international network of companies violated federal statutes and the Commission’s regulations when they executed a scheme to make more than five billion robocalls to more than 500 million phone numbers during a three-month span in 2021, including violating federal spoofing laws by using more than one million different caller ID numbers in an attempt to disguise the true origin of the robocalls and trick victims into answering the phone," the agency said in a statement.

It was the largest illegal robocall operation the FCC has ever investigated, so it's no wonder that "we've been trying to reach you concerning your vehicle's extended warranty" became meme-worthy.

"We know the scam artists behind these calls are relentless," FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement, "but we are coming for them and won’t stop until we get this junk off the line."

Topics FCC

Mashable Image
Christianna Silva
Senior Culture Reporter

Christianna Silva is a Senior Culture Reporter at Mashable. They write about tech and digital culture, with a focus on Facebook and Instagram. Before joining Mashable, they worked as an editor at NPR and MTV News, a reporter at Teen Vogue and VICE News, and as a stablehand at a mini-horse farm. You can follow them on Twitter @christianna_j.


Recommended For You
Israel-Hamas disinformation: What it is, how to fight it

MSI Cyborg 15 review: Can this cheap gaming laptop run 'Cyberpunk 2077'?
By Kimberly Gedeon

Elon Musk created a safety mess on X. CEO Linda Yaccarino is using it to cancel appearances.

YouTuber MrBeast goes pro with Charlotte Hornets jersey sponsorship

'American Fiction' trailer has a Black author's stereotype-riddled joke novel become an unexpected hit

More in Tech

Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for October 18

7 skills to teach your daughter by age 13


Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for October 18

The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!