FCC Proposes $12.9M Fine for Man Who Made Over 6,000 Robocalls The intention of the calls was to 'cause harm' while achieving media notoriety and increasing publicity for 'his website and personal brand'

By Matthew Humphries

This story originally appeared on PC Mag

via PCMag

The FCC is getting serious with its responses to robocallers, with the latest case being that of an individual rather than a company who made over 6,000 robocalls across six states.

As Engadget reports, the man in question used an online calling platform to manipulate caller ID so as to make his calls look like they came from a local number. He then set about targeting specific communities in each state, with the FCC stating his main intention was to "cause harm."

The FCC discovered he made 1,496 calls in California regarding the state's US Senate primary. In Florida he made 766 calls making "racist attacks about a Florida gubernatorial candidate." Another 583 calls were made in Georgia attacking a similar candidate and callers were told it was on behalf of Oprah Winfrey. 750 calls were made in Idaho attacking a newspaper and publisher after they exposed another robocaller. Then in Virginia 2,023 calls were made during the James Fields trial with a suggestion the man was attempting to influence the jury.

The worst robocall spree was made in Iowa, though. The man made 827 calls following the murder of a local college student. An illegal alien from Mexico was arrested and the spoof calls talked about a "brown horde," "savages," and to "Kill them all." The family members of the murdered student also received the calls.

In a statement detailing the extent of the robocalls, the FCC said, "The caller was apparently motivated by a belief that these actions would result in media notoriety and accordingly would enable him to increase publicity for his website and personal brand. In the process, he apparently broke the law. The FCC, Federal Trade Commission, and local law enforcement all received numerous complaints from consumers about apparently spoofed robocalls from this caller."

Clearly his plan backfired and now he's in for a big financial shock. The FCC is proposing a fine of $12,910,000 against the individual, which it seems unlikely he'll be able to pay. Before then, the FCC is offering the man an opportunity to respond by submitting evidence and legal arguments.

Matthew Humphries

Senior Editor

Editor's Pick

Related Topics

Business Ideas

This Teacher Sells Digital Downloads for $10. Her Side Hustle Now Makes Six Figures a Month: 'It Seems Too Good to Be True, But It's Not.'

When one middle school teacher needed to make some extra income, she started a remote side hustle with no physical products and incredibly low overhead. Now she brings in six figures each month, and offers courses teaching others how to do the same.

Living

'I Haven't Ticked All the Boxes Yet.' Hilary Duff Reveals Her Next Venture After More Than 2 Decades in the Spotlight — and the Surprisingly Relatable Key to Her Enduring Success

The actor talks entrepreneurship, secrets to success and her latest role as chief brand director for Below 60°, a product line of air fragrances.

Business News

An Ivy League University Is Teaching the Secret of Taylor Swift's Success

Several major universities have added courses dedicated to studying Swift's star power.

Marketing

Google Is About to Delete Inactive Accounts. Here's How to Avoid A Massive Gmail Bounce Rate.

Google will start deleting inactive accounts soon. For businesses like yours, that means many Gmail contacts will probably bounce. Here's how you can avoid that – and keep your business emails landing in the inbox.

Leadership

Great Leaders Must Be Great Coaches — Here's How to Become One

To be a successful leader, you must become an expert in how to help others grow and develop. Here's a research-driven approach for entrepreneurial leaders to coach and effectively develop their teams.