Federal Agencies Maintain Focus On Robocalls

Both the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have continued their push to crack down on robocalls in recent weeks, with cease and desist letters, a proposed record-setting fine, and a warning to comply with investigations or face a lawsuit.

• In February, FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel announced the possibility of a new requirement for callers to obtain consent before delivering a ringless voicemail, which she said “can be annoying, invasive and can lead to fraud like other robocalls[,] so it should face the same consumer protection rules.” The brief press release explained that the “Declaratory Ruling and Order responds to a petition filed by All About the Message. The petitioner asked the Commission to find that delivery of a message directly to a consumer's cell phone voicemail is not a call protected by the TCPA. The Chairwoman's proposed action would find ringless voicemails are, in fact, ‘calls' that require