FCC “fined” robocallers $208 million since 2015 but collected only $6,790

Enlarge / FCC Chairman Ajit Pai on December 14, 2017, in Washington DC, the day of the FCC's vote to repeal net neutrality rules. (credit: Getty Images | Alex Wong )

The Federal Communications Commission has issued $208.4 million in fines against robocallers since 2015, but the commission has collected only $6,790 of that amount. That's because the FCC lacks authority to enforce the penalties, according to an investigation by The Wall Street Journal.

The Journal learned of the $6,790 figure by making a Freedom of Information Act request. "An FCC spokesman said his agency lacks the authority to enforce the forfeiture orders it issues and has passed all unpaid penalties to the Justice Department, which has the power to collect the fines," the Journal report said. "Many of the spoofers and robocallers the agency tries to punish are individuals and small operations, [the spokesman] added, which means they are at times unable to pay the full penalties."

The Justice Department declined to comment.

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