WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH ROBOCALLS?

What’s the worst scourge layed upon the American people? Robocalls. So it should make you happy to know that, since 2015, the Federal Communications Commission has ordered violators of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, a law governing telemarketing and robodialing, to pay $208.4 million in fines for violating robocalling rules, the Do Not Call Registry and illegal telephone solicitations. Pretty impressive, huh? Well, according to records obtained by The Wall Street Journal through a Freedom of Information Act request, the FCC has collected just $6,790 of that amount. An FCC spokesman said his agency lacks the authority to enforce the forfeiture orders. They pass all unpaid penalties to the Justice Department, which has the power to collect the fines, who has learned that most of the spoofers and robocallers are individuals who are unable to pay the full penalties.
– Meanwhile, the Federal Trade Commission has been amassing judgments of $1.5 billion since 2004 in cases involving civil penalties for robocalls or National Do Not Call Registry-related violations. Out of that $1.5 BILLION, it has collected $121 million, or according to Ian Barlow, coordinator of the agency’s Do Not Call program, about 8%. Said Mr. Barlow: “We’re proud of it; we think our enforcement program is pretty strong.”
* Yep. Pretty, pretty strong.
* Collecting fines from lawbreakers is haaaaard!!!!
* Hello, it’s called prison.