The Federal Trade Commission is taking action against an operation that allegedly violated the FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule by helping clients make illegal robocalls, call phone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry and mask Caller ID information.
Sonkei Communications Inc., Peter J. Turpel, and Joseph Turpel, according to the FTC's complaint, sold robocall services to telemarketers offering credit card services, home security systems and grant procurement programs.
The defendants allegedly gave clients the means to hide their identity by transmitting inaccurate caller names on caller ID displays, such as "SERVICE MESSAGE" or "SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT." The FTC also alleged that the defendants knew, or consciously avoided knowing, that their clients called phone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry.
The complaint seeks to make the defendants pay civil penalties and stop the illegal calls. The alleged conduct led to "tens of thousands" of complaints from consumers.
The Department of Justice filed the complaint on behalf of the FTC in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
