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04-18-2018 02:16 PM
Alleged robocall scammer tells U.S. Senate he's no 'kingpin'
A Florida man fined $120 million by the FCC for making nearly 100 million illegal robocalls appeared before a Senate hearing Wednesday and denied wrongdoing.
An alleged serial robocaller who was fined $120 million by the FCC denied wrongdoing in testimony before a U. S. Senate Committee Wednesday.
The Federal Communications Commission fined Adrian Abramovich in June last year for allegedly making more than 96 million robocalls during a three-month period in 2016.
The FCC accused the Florida man of allegedly tricking consumers with "exclusive" vacation deals from well-known travel and hospitality companies, like Hilton and Marriott. The agency has said he led "one of the largest — and most dangerous — illegal robocalling campaigns that the Commission has ever investigated."
But Abramovich denied these claims.
"I am not the kingpin of robocalling that is alleged," he said Wednesday appearing before the committee under subpoena, according to a Reuters report.
He denied engaging in "fraudulent activities" and said he was engaging in legitimate telemarketing practices by offering real vacation deals. He declined to answer some questions about his case, invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.
But Senator John Thune, who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee, told Abramovich he had waived his right to avoid answering questions when he discussed his case at the hearing, according to Reuters. Thune warned him he could be held in contempt of Congress if he didn't answer questions.
Consumers get nearly 2.5 billion robocalls a month. The FCC has said it gets more than 200,000 complaints each year about unwanted calls. And the Federal Trade Commission said it received roughly 5.3 million complaints about telemarketing calls in 2016.U.S.
"Americans are mad as hell" that they still get these calls even after efforts by Congress and the FCC to stop them, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said last year.
The FCC approved new rules to protect consumers against unwanted robocalls In November. And has been working on other ways to limit what they call the "scourge" of unwanted calls. But some lawmakers want the FCC to go further.
Article from Cnet website.
"Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference."
04-18-2018 02:27 PM
Yippee. Finally someone is getting the message. It is against the law and should not be on us to buy equipment to stop them. Each man for themselves these days.
04-18-2018 02:38 PM
@Mz iMac I sure am happy to see the FTC is at least trying to stop these scumbags. Enough is enough.
04-18-2018 02:53 PM
Very few robocalls originate from the US. Those calls can be controlled by the FTC as well as the "Do Not Call" option.
98% of robocalls ORIGINATE OUTSIDE of the U.S. FCC does NOT have "international" jurisdiction. The only government institutions that do are: CIA, MI5&6, Mossad & Scotland Yard.
"Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference."
04-18-2018 03:30 PM
So glad someone finally got caught and fined!
04-18-2018 03:38 PM
Yet they seemed okay with Zuckerburg selling Facebook info. When your really loaded you can get away with so much more. They treated him like royalty and his stock soared after the hearings.
04-18-2018 04:11 PM
@hopi wrote:Yet they seemed okay with Zuckerburg selling Facebook info. When your really loaded you can get away with so much more. They treated him like royalty and his stock soared after the hearings.
Most of his responses to Congress: "I have to check w/my team."
Not one of them asked, "Why don't YOU know the answer since you are the creater as well as the owner?"
The hearings were a joke & a sham.
"Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference."
04-18-2018 05:08 PM - edited 04-18-2018 05:09 PM
@Mz iMac wrote:
@hopi wrote:Yet they seemed okay with Zuckerburg selling Facebook info. When your really loaded you can get away with so much more. They treated him like royalty and his stock soared after the hearings.
Most of his responses to Congress: "I have to check w/my team."
Not one of them asked, "Why don't YOU know the answer since you are the creater as well as the owner?"
The hearings were a joke & a sham.
Guessing he makes many donations on both sides.
04-18-2018 05:17 PM - edited 04-18-2018 05:19 PM
One down and millions to go............
And for the ones overseas they can do nothing about....
04-18-2018 06:19 PM
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