Are you aware the Feds have ramped up a new campaign known as Operation Stop Scam Calls? Their intent under this crackdown is to make it more difficult for scammers, robocallers, fraudsters, and their ilk to even be able to contact everyday American people. I, for one, can agree with those efforts.

Accussed of pilfering millions of dollars through illegal robocalls and telemarketing schemes that distributed, or assisted the distribution of illegal telemarketing calls, five companies have already felt the sting of these procedures according to the Federal Trade Commission. These so called organizations have been fined, to the tune of 18 million dollars, and have been banned from making future calls to consumers.

At a news conference held in Chicago, Illinois on Tuesday, July 18, 2023, Samuel Levine, the FTC's Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection, said, "We are taking action against those who trick people into phony consent to receive these calls and those who make it easy and cheap to place these calls. The FTC and its law enforcement partners will not rest in the fight against illegal telemarketing."

How out of hand are scam robocalls? Try 33 million a day according to the National Consumer Law Center and the Electronic Privacy Information Center. These robocalls frequently attack the most vulnerable, with Social Security fraud against seniors one of their preferred rip-offs. Drawing Social Security myself, I sure would not desire to have some moron try to swindle it out of me. Statistics indicated in 2021 alone, some 30 billion dollars were swiped through scam calls.

A stated goal of the FTC's Operation Stop Scam Calls campaign is to crack down on what they referenced as "lead-generation consent farms." These crooks often try to trick consumers by offering free prizes, potential job leads, rewards, and other perks in exchange for the victim's personal information. That granted consent is then sold to telemarketers, which results in unwanted robocalls.

Let's examine some stats about the Do Not Call Registry, which unfortunately is not always as airtight against robocalls and telemarketers as perchance it should be. This Registry was designed to allow users to place their telephone numbers on it to stop unwanted sales calls from legitimate companies. Currently, more than 240 million active American telephone numbers are contained on that Registry.

In excess of 2 million complaints have been lodged in the past 8 years or so with the Consumer Help Center from the Federal Communications Commission, who handles a vast array of telecommunications service and billing concerns. The singlemost source of these unwanted calls? You guessed correctly if you said approximately 55% of reports filed with the FCC relate to unwanted telemarketing and robocalls.

Some of the underhanded stunts these illegal telephone scammers resort to include using multiple company names to make unlawful telemarketing calls. Making them to Arizona residents landed the New Jersey-based Vision Solar to stiff penalties under the FTC's Operation Stop Scam Calls campaign.

How did the New York City-based company Fluent wind up there? They tricked consumers into possible employment possibilities, or free items that included $1000 Walmart gift cards. Fluent also sold more than 620 million telemarketing leads to other companies. This violated multiple Federal laws. Fluent was fined $2.5 million dollars and banned from making any future robocalls.

Protect yourself and don't fall into these sorts of traps. If you are not 100 percent certain who you are talking to on the telephone, and that they are on the level, NEVER, EVER, EVER give anyone your personal information over no blooming telephone. In fact, never granting your personal information over the telephone regardless of who you are talking to, is probably the safest route to travel.

You didn't ask...but!