Illinois AG Raoul cracking down on robocalls with the FTC

CHICAGO (CBS) -- There's a new push to stop those annoying robocalls bombarding the phones of countless Americans.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a collaborative crackdown alongside states like Illinois and federal law enforcement.

CBS 2's Sabrina Franza explains.

"It's an annoyance for everybody."

Robocalls, the pesky phone calls that have become all too realistic.

"The minute these calls are placed, with an effort to take advantage of people, it causes financial loss and emotional distress for many people."

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, alongside other state attorneys general and the Federal Trade and Commerce Commissions, announced "Operation Stop Spam Calls," which is the collaborative fight against illegal telemarketing.

"These bad actors can be anywhere in the world, and it's important to have industry involved in cracking down," Raoul said.

The FTC launched five new cases against companies and individuals they said are responsible for tricking consumers into providing their information.

A large part of the robocall problem is they want to clarify that third-party companies can be just as liable for those illegal calls.

"Under the FTC act, it is illegal to deceive people through text messages, and we are prepared to hold those actors accountable," said Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection.

Hoping those ongoing lawsuits send a message consumers want to receive.

On the possibility of new technology, of AI making robocalls and texts more advanced, CBS 2 pressed to see if law enforcement is prepared to address that eventuality.

"I recognize that this is a new technology, but the same old laws apply, and we are prepared to use them," Levine said.

Robo texts also remain a huge issue.

That's part of why the FTC asks consumers to continue reporting fraudulent calls and texts. Consumers can report unwanted calls and texts to the National Do Not Call Registry.

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• Illinois
• Federal Trade Commission
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