LANSING, Mich. (WXYZ) — Michigan joins the Federal Trade Commission and 25 other states in a national crackdown on illegal robocalls.
Industry experts estimate that 1.2 billion robocalls were made to Michigan residents in 2018. An estimated 660 million calls were made so far in 2019.
“Nothing is more annoying, more intrusive, uninvited and unwelcome than robocalls – and yet, Michigan residents fall victim to an avalanche of illegal calls each day,” says Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.
The joint crackdown, "Operation Call it Quits," is a continuous effort from the FTC to stop pre-recorded telemarketing calls that range from pitching products and services, credit card interest reduction services, money making opportunities and medical alert systems. The crackdown also includes information to help educate residents about illegal robocalls. The plan also includes four new cases and three new settlements from the FTC alone.
"It’s time to put a stop to this public nuisance,” Nessel said. “This is only the beginning of several efforts by the Michigan Attorney General’s Office to combat this epidemic perpetuated by negligent companies who see nothing more than dollar signs at the other end of the phone line. Our state’s residents and the American people have had enough. I’m happy to join forces with the FTC and several other states to combat the exponential surge in robocalls around the country and bring broader awareness to the ways consumers can fight back.”
With this nationwide crackdown, Michigan forced a settlement with Ardent Natural Gas, LLC in March 2019 for alleged violations of the Home Solicitation Sales Act, using robocalls to illegally solicit Michigan consumers.
Michigan Attorney General's Office has already hosted 125 consumer education seminars, focusing on robocalls and e-scams.
