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I received four separate calls that “my social security number has been suspended for illegal activity” calls yesterday. Those scammers have been able to walk a

I received four separate calls that “my social security number has been suspended for illegal activity” calls yesterday. Those scammers have been able to walk away with multiple tens of thousands of dollars from unsuspecting (mostly older) Americans- draining significant portions of their life savings. Add in the other three calls offering to “lower my interest rate” and a few more offering Medicare advantage plans, and... It’s a scourage and the only reason this continues to be a problem is because of lax enforcement. It was trivial to track down and punish - even as a private individual under the TCPA - robocallers when they resided in the US. Now since all this activity is overseas, they operate with impunity and it’s disgusting.

Animats 5y ago
I received four separate calls that “my social security number has been suspended for illegal activity” calls yesterday. The hammer just came down on the telco responsible.[1] That particular scam is on the list attached to the FCC's letter. Under the new administration, the FCC isn't fooling around. Here's what the FCC actually sent that telco: Federal Communications Commission Enforcement Bureau VIA CERTIFIED MAIL - RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED To: Omar Luna CEO R Squared Telecom LLC 526 S Main St. Suite 802 Akron, OH 44311 omar.luna@rsquaredtelecom.com Re: Official Correspondence from the Federal Communications Commission Dear Mr. Luna, We have determined that R Squared Telecom LLC (R Squared) is apparently transmitting illegal robocall traffic on behalf of one or more of its clients. You should investigate and, if necessary, cease transmitting such traffic immediately and take steps to prevent your network from continuing to be a source of apparently illegal robocalls. As noted below, downstream voice service providers will be authorized to block all of R Squared’s traffic if you do not take steps to “effectively mitigate illegal traffic” within 48 hours, or if you fail to inform the Commission and the Traceback Consortium within fourteen (14) days of this letter (April 27, 2021) of the steps you have taken to “implement effective measures” to prevent customers from using your network to make illegal calls. In the original, "block all of R Squared’s traffic" is bolded. Yes, the FCC gave an entire wholesale telco 48 hours to stop robocalls or be cut off from the phone network. The FCC didn't bother to censor their CEO's name and email address, either. That's after the US$225 million dollar fine the FCC levied on another robocall firm last month.[2] The "Traceback Consortium" is the group putting source authentication into VOIP. Congress required that to be in place by June 30, 2021, and much of it is already working. So finding out who's doing it is now beginning to work. As we can see here. [1] https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-371511A1.pdf https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-371511A1.pdf [2] https://www.cnet.com/news/fcc-slaps-robocaller-with-225-million-fine-as-part-of-broader-crackdown/ https://www.cnet.com/news/fcc-slaps-robocaller-with-225-mill... [3] https://www.insideprivacy.com/advertising-marketing/tcpa/fcc-continues-implementation-of-traced-act-with-shaken-stir-mandate-and-industry-traceback-consortium https://www.insideprivacy.com/advertising-marketing/tcpa/fcc...
daniellarusso 5y ago
When I get that call, has happened twice recently, I thank them for doing an excellent and prompt job of cancelling my social security number. I say I had submitted the request to cancel my social security number weeks ago, and did not think that they would be able to so quickly cancel it. I was inspired by the fictional videogame, “Roy - A Life Well Lived”.

Animats 5y ago

I received four separate calls that “my social security number has been suspended for illegal activity” calls yesterday. The hammer just came down on the telco responsible.[1] That particular scam is on the list attached to the FCC's letter. Under the new administration, the FCC isn't fooling around. Here's what the FCC actually sent that telco: Federal Communications Commission Enforcement Bureau VIA CERTIFIED MAIL - RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED To: Omar Luna CEO R Squared Telecom LLC 526 S Main St. Suite 802 Akron, OH 44311 omar.luna@rsquaredtelecom.com Re: Official Correspondence from the Federal Communications Commission Dear Mr. Luna, We have determined that R Squared Telecom LLC (R Squared) is apparently transmitting illegal robocall traffic on behalf of one or more of its clients. You should investigate and, if necessary, cease transmitting such traffic immediately and take steps to prevent your network from continuing to be a source of apparently illegal robocalls. As noted below, downstream voice service providers will be authorized to block all of R Squared’s traffic if you do not take steps to “effectively mitigate illegal traffic” within 48 hours, or if you fail to inform the Commission and the Traceback Consortium within fourteen (14) days of this letter (April 27, 2021) of the steps you have taken to “implement effective measures” to prevent customers from using your network to make illegal calls. In the original, "block all of R Squared’s traffic" is bolded. Yes, the FCC gave an entire wholesale telco 48 hours to stop robocalls or be cut off from the phone network. The FCC didn't bother to censor their CEO's name and email address, either. That's after the US$225 million dollar fine the FCC levied on another robocall firm last month.[2] The "Traceback Consortium" is the group putting source authentication into VOIP. Congress required that to be in place by June 30, 2021, and much of it is already working. So finding out who's doing it is now beginning to work. As we can see here. [1] https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-371511A1.pdf https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-371511A1.pdf [2] https://www.cnet.com/news/fcc-slaps-robocaller-with-225-million-fine-as-part-of-broader-crackdown/ https://www.cnet.com/news/fcc-slaps-robocaller-with-225-mill... [3] https://www.insideprivacy.com/advertising-marketing/tcpa/fcc-continues-implementation-of-traced-act-with-shaken-stir-mandate-and-industry-traceback-consortium https://www.insideprivacy.com/advertising-marketing/tcpa/fcc...

daniellarusso 5y ago

When I get that call, has happened twice recently, I thank them for doing an excellent and prompt job of cancelling my social security number. I say I had submitted the request to cancel my social security number weeks ago, and did not think that they would be able to so quickly cancel it. I was inspired by the fictional videogame, “Roy - A Life Well Lived”.