FCC slaps $300M fine on “largest illegal robocall operation” it’s ever seen

fne8w2ah@lemmy.world to Technology@lemmy.world – 756 points –
FCC slaps $300M fine on “largest illegal robocall operation” it’s ever seen
arstechnica.com
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Good! Large fines create a meaningful deterrent for bad behavior.

Sure deterred them from doing it again after the first time… oh wait.

Cox was banned from telemarketing in a 2013 settlement with the FTC, which accused him of sending "illegal robocalls offering credit card interest rate reduction programs, extended automobile warranties, and home security systems." At the time, the FTC said that Cox was issued "a $1.1 million civil penalty that will be suspended due to his inability to pay."

In 2017, the FTC obtained a similar telemarketing ban on Jones. He was also fined $2.7 million, but, as with Cox, the fine was "suspended based on his inability to pay."

No fine is going to be paid this time either I imagine.

I'm not normally a proponent of prison for debtors, but in the case of these motherfuckers I'd be happy if they threw away the key.

suspended based on his inability to pay

If only he had some way to make money fast.

Maybe it'll help as long as the fine is some % of their net income. Sweden does this, speeding tickets are a % of your income instead of a fixed fine, so someone with $10MM will still feel the burn.

Depends on if they make so much money that 300M is just cost of doing business. There needs to be prison time for those involved.

Also $300M is the public fine number. Usually the actual fine is less than what is made public.