These millions of fraudulent robocalls included those impersonating the Social Security Administration (SSA), threatening recipients of the calls with arrests or asset seizures if they did not immediately send funds to the caller.
The Justice Department also accused the defendants of selling U.S. telephone numbers to foreign entities, which were used as part of the massive fraudulent robocalling scheme that led to significant financial losses to seniors and other vulnerable victims across the United States.
In a written opinion issued in March, the District Court for the Eastern District of New York wrote, “Defendants’ failure to take meaningful action in response to these complaints demonstrates reckless indifference to the fraud they were enabling. Over time, it became increasingly clear that they knew or should have known the complaints evidenced a widespread pattern of fraudulent calls being transmitted over their network.”
DOJ is “committed to protecting vulnerable Americans”
In a statement, DOJ Civil Division Assistant Attorney General Ethan Davis said, “The Department is committed to protecting vulnerable Americans, particularly America’s seniors, from those who seek to steal their hard-earned savings. The Department will pursue not only those who place fraudulent robocalls but also those who knowingly facilitate such calls.”
