FCC votes to crack down on unwanted robocalls

The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday approved new rules to make it easier for phone companies to crack down on robocalls.

With Americans receiving an estimated 28.8 billion robocalls in 2016, Chairman Ajit Pai says these robocalls and telemarketing calls are the “number one source of consumer complaints that the FCC receives.” On an annual basis, the agency says it receives about 200,000 complaints. Though Americans have signed up on the federal Do Not Call Registry, fraudsters have found sneaky methods of working around the rules.