U.S. Government announces crackdown on illegal robocalls

The United States Government announced a nationwide crackdown on illegal robocalls Tuesday.

The Federal Trade Commission–working with the Justice Department, along with state and local authorities–says it’s targeting entities that have collectively placed more than one billion unwanted calls.

The crackdown involves nearly 100 cases, five of which are criminal enforcement actions.

This comes as Congress is preparing legislation to expand government power over illegal robocalls.

They’ve become a major concern for policymakers, as Americans are increasingly subjected to unwelcome cellphone interruptions and, in worst cases, fraud.