27. According to John Riggins,. Some of the most aggressive actions against allegedly deceptive PACs and their fundraisers have come from state or local law enforcement officials. The Federal Election Commission has jurisdiction over political spending but neither the agency nor Congress has acted on recommendations in 2016 by some of its own members to strengthen fraud protections and disclosure requirements as part of campaign law. The site has since been taken down. 03/03/2023, 1465 after OMB completes its review, and directs the Enforcement Bureau to cause 64.1204 and 64.1606 to be revised accordingly. We have told them many times to stop calling us, one person contacted by Politicause complained to the FTC in April 2019, noting that the household was on a Do Not Call list. Aside from the lions share that went to for-profit fundraisers, many of the PAC operators took a slice for salaries and overhead. He said only that it was based in Florida; Reuters could not determine the specific jurisdiction. It wouldve been nice to know that my money was going to a PAC, not a charity, and that it wasnt going to actually help police and firefighters directly.. Solicitors asking you to donate to charity. or to request reasonable accommodations ( Add 64.1204 to subpart L to read as follows: (a) Any private entity may submit to the Enforcement Bureau information related to a call made or a text message sent that the private entity has reason to believe was in violation of 64.1200(a) or 47 U.S.C. Federal Register on To the extent allowed by the Privacy Act of 1974 and our rules, the portal will clearly state that the Bureau may share submitted information with the Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission, other federal agencies combatting robocalls, state attorney general offices, other law enforcement entities with which the Commission has information sharing agreements, and the registered traceback consortium. A web of new political action committees raised nearly $6 million in recent months under the guise of supporting police, veterans and . Treasurer: POLLOCK, KECIA MARIE. Federal Register provide legal notice to the public and judicial notice On September 1, 2009, new FTC rules went into effect prohibiting most prerecorded telemarketing calls, commonly known as robocalls, unless the telemarketer has the consumers prior written authorization to transmit such calls. The full text of this document is available for public inspection online at Delegated Authority. The .gov means its official. Those who responded denied their marketing was deceptive and defended their business model and compensation. Until the ACFR grants it official status, the XML fcc504@fcc.gov on They often are set up as super PACs, groups which in recent years have been empowered by the courts to raise and spend money in unlimited amounts, with little regulation. 03/03/2023, 266 The current informal consumer complaint process is a vital tool for the Commission. documents in the last year, 663 The "Committee for Police Officer's Defense" (CPOD) was configured to help police officers fight against the continuing "War on Cops" by taking a varied political stance against politicians, activist judges, prosecutors, district attorneys and a host of others who try to bring police officers down by any means. We wish it was 100, but we have to keep the lights on.. The FTCs response to complaints is not noted in the records.. To request this document in accessible formats for people with disabilities ( To achieve this objective, we direct the Enforcement Bureau to create and monitor an online portal located on the Commission 22. i.e., The Republican Attorneys General Association raised more than $18 million in 2020 from several top corporations, including Pepsi, Microsoft, JPMorgan Chase and Comcast, the parent company of NBC News. establishing the XML-based Federal Register as an ACFR-sanctioned That goal is to help police officers fight against the continuing "War on Cops" by taking a varied political stance against politicians, activist judges, prosecutors, district attorneys and a host of others who try to bring police officers down by any means. or call the FCC's Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice), (202) 418-0432 (TTY). Gelvan agreed to a permanent ban on raising money for charity in New York in 2004 in a case that accused him of deceptive telemarketing for a state troopers charity, court documents show, and he paid a $50,000 finefor violating that agreement 10 years later. Private entity submissions of spoofing violations. e.g., Thus, a private entity is only in a position to provide information about calls that it suspects are violations of the law. The documents posted on this site are XML renditions of published Federal ) on December 8, 2020, proposing to establish a streamlined process for private entities to submit information about robocall violations to the Commission. Twilio recommends that the Commission create one centralized mechanism for reporting all information regarding robocalling and spoofing, whether it is from a whistleblower, company, or consumer. on FederalRegister.gov Police officer's scam robocall warning goes viral The "GMA" team of insiders analyzes some of the biggest stories trending this morning. Box 663 Butler, WI 53007 Visit Website (833) 878-5783 Average of 30. But she said the panel has been paralyzed by partisan divisions and, more recently, a lack of a quorum. documents in the last year, by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Federal Communications Commission proposes to amend 47 CFR parts 0 and 64 as follows: 1. or call the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice). edition of the Federal Register. Its infuriating, said Angelides, who learned from Reuters that it was a PAC that got his money. Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format, etc.) Callers told Reuters they easily made the switch, working in the same buildings, for the same bosses, using similar scripts. the official SGML-based PDF version on govinfo.gov, those relying on it for Training was minimal, pressure relentless and turnover high, the workers said. All told, the PACs took in $83.1 million during the 2 year period examined by Reuters, about 82% of which went to the eight fundraising companies, according to the campaign disclosures required by the FEC. During today's hearing, the Committee heard from local law enforcement, the U.S. This site displays a prototype of a Web 2.0 version of the daily daniel.stepanicich@fcc.gov. Its supporters also include interest groups such as the NRA and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which was its top donor in 2020 with a $750,000 contribution. 24. They said to pitch it like it was a charity but as quietly and quickly as you can, slip in that it was a PAC, said Lefler, who worked at TPFE until March. 801(a)(1)(A). Postal Service (USPS), a telecommunications industry expert, and a relative of a robocall scam victim. Authority delegations (Government agencies). 804(2). announcing that compliance date and revising this paragraph accordingly. documents in the last year, 513 A Rule by the Federal Communications Commission on 09/23/2021. The calls, which did not advocate violence or suggest the building should be breached, was sent out by the Rule of Law Defense Fund, a fundraising arm of the Republican Attorneys General Association. The Public Inspection page may also The Commission will send a copy of this Report and Order to Congress and the Government Accountability Office pursuant to 5 U.S.C. Congress did not define private entity in the TRACED Act. from 36 agencies. While acknowledging that every industry has its bad apples,he wrote: To this day it strikes me as odd that an industry that has over the years hired hundreds of thousands of people (perhaps millions), many of whom had trouble holding down more traditional day jobs, would become such a punching bag for the government and the media.. documents in the last year, 282 Add 64.1606 to subpart P to read as follows: (a) Any private entity may submit to the Enforcement Bureau information related to a call or text message that the private entity has reason to believe included misleading or inaccurate caller identification information in violation of 64.1604(a) or 47 U.S.C. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal government site. The fundraising operation used corporate names including Charity Promotions, from 2013 to 2016, and Charity Appeal, from 2016 to 2018, according to several ex-employee interviews and state filings. 10. . Compliance with the requirements of that information collection will not be required until after approval by the Office of Management and Budget. The Police Officers' Defense Coalition was developed in consort with the Committee for Police Officers' Defense in order to help police officers, public safety officers, sheriffs, and all those who represent the law enforcement community fight against the "War on C ops". Two of the fundraising companies identified by Reuters employed jail inmates and ex-cons as telemarketers, according to interviews in Alabama with several former employees, as well as court records. 227(b). 03/03/2023, 159 We adopt rules to establish an online web portal where private entities may submit information about suspected violations of sections 227(b) and 227(e). Both Politicause and TPFE had procedures to keep workers with fraud convictions from handling credit card information, former callers said, although Politicause workers said the rules were sometimes relaxed for high performers. P, sec. March 24, 2017 on NARA's archives.gov. Former Politicause employee Armstrong said he was fired in 2018, when the call center did charity fundraising, for having drugs at work. 2. And the groups they were raising money for werent charities at all, but political action committees, which normally are set up to gather funds for candidates or political causes. 151, 154(i), 154(j), 155, 225, and 409, unless otherwise noted. Zeitlin told Reuters he was not the target of the grand jury investigation. It was viewed 36 times while on Public Inspection. FAIRFAX, Va., July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Committee for Police Officers' Defense, the political arm of Police Officers' Defense Coalition, recently launched a . But because that suggested donors were contributing directly to purchasing new gear, the callers said they were told by managers to adjust their language. At Politicause, for instance, some said they initially were told to say donations would be used to help buy new police and fire equipment. The Commission has a well-established process for individual consumers to submit complaints about unwanted and suspected illegal robocalls and spoofed calls: The Commission's informal consumer complaint process, which the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau oversees. Caller type: Scammer/Fraudster. My job is to deliver a message, and try as best as I can to make sure Im not working for a scumbag, he said. We were good at slick-talking these people, said Dellinger, who court records show has been convicted of felonies including the truck theft and other burglary charges. As a fundraiser for charities, Zeitlin ran into trouble with regulators. In the Pallone-Thune Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act (TRACED Act), Congress directed the Commission to establish regulations to create a process that streamlines the ways in which a private entity may voluntarily share with the Commission information relating to a call or text message that violates prohibitions regarding robocalls or spoofing set forth section 227(b) and 227(e) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. All persons are required to submit truthful and accurate statements to the Commission. Start Printed Page 52841 Second, we find that establishing a stand-alone process designed specifically to handle concerns from private entities ( It is an organization who (sic) advocates for those who deserve it the most and are often left behind: American Veterans, especially who are homeless and disabled, the FAQ read. Federal Register The portal is available for use by private entities that wish to submit information about suspected robocall or spoofing violations. A spokesperson for Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, the chairman of the Republican Attorneys General Association, said he had no knowledge or involvement in this decision., Attorney General Carr has been working diligently to determine how this situation occurred and ensure that it does not happen again, said spokesperson Katie Byrd. Lina M. Khan was sworn in as Chair of the Federal Trade Commission on June 15, 2021. Even so, Reuters identified a loose network of fundraising companies and PACs that quickly grew into a money-making force, with some ranking near the top fundraisers in the period stretching from January 2017 through mid-2019. Together Politicause and Pledge Assistance earned close to $20 million between January 2017 through mid-2019 raising money for PACS, campaign finance records show. corresponding official PDF file on govinfo.gov. Our past robocall enforcement actions have relied extensively upon information from private entities. . Start Printed Page 52842 In such cases, the Enforcement Bureau will forward such consumer complaints to the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau. 05/04/2018 05:04 AM EDT. are amended The Sylacauga call center employed work release inmates, an arrangement that apparently ended before 2018, the former callers said. L. 115-141, Div. We agree with comments expressing the importance of vetting submitted information and protecting confidentiality. Consumers are already served by the existing informal complaint intake process, and the TRACED Act gives no indication that Congress intended to upset or replace that process. The "Committee for Police Officer's Defense" (CPOD) was configured to help police officers fight against the continuing "War on Cops" by taking a varied political stance against politicians, activist judges, prosecutors, district attorneys and a host of others who try to bring police officers down by any means. documents in the last year, by the Energy Department Neither Zeitlin nor his attorney would comment on the FTC lawsuit. How Scam PACs fall through the cracks of U.S. regulators, The motto was, Leave your morals at the door, said Alexander Lefler, 21, who worked for nearly a year at a call center southeast of Birmingham, Alabama, describing what he saw as high-pressure and deceptive tactics. 3. documents in the last year, 940 Good evening this is Mike Stevens calling for the Committee for police officers defense this calls recorded for quality assurance Ok Hello hello. documents in the last year, by the Coast Guard Thus we adopt SAFE Credit Union's suggestion that the portal clearly explain its purpose and intended use. To that end, the new portal's home page will include prominent language that not only explains its purpose and use, but also distinguishes that portal from the existing informal consumer complaint process so as to minimize possible confusion. the Federal Register. Counts are subject to sampling, reprocessing and revision (up or down) throughout the day. It is further ordered One Piaro committee, Americans for the Cure of Breast Cancer, garnered $1.6 million in donations through Zeitlins fundraising operations and made one charitable contribution, $10,000 to the Susan G. Komen Foundation less than 1% of the total raised, campaign filings show. We released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking ( This document has been published in the Federal Register. Always Be Closing, one poster read. Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 Analysis. We have been assured by RAGA that none of our contributions to RAGA were given to the Rule of Law Defense Fund., In a statement, Comcast said: "We have long supported Democratic and Republican associations of attorneys general. electronic version on GPOs govinfo.gov. Gifts to actual charities are; donations to PACs, which sometimes sound like charities, are not. Never disclose personal information. Or follow the simplest rule: Never give to anyone over the phone, said Margot Saunders, senior counsel for the National Consumer Law Center. Richard Zeitlin, the biggest fundraiser in the loose network identified by Reuters, told a reporter in a brief interview that he had closed down all of his call centers, saying I wanted a change in direction. Asked about ex-employees claims of deception in his companies PAC fundraising practices, he declined to discuss specifics. that the Commission 8. . You are not lying, but you are being extremely misleading, said Jason Jones, 24, a former employee at Politicause. Further Information. Even as they charmed millions from credulous donors, a dozen former callers for two major fundraisers told Reuters that they knew their companies would be keeping the vast majority of it. If youre a PAC, and youre raising money for one purpose and doing something else, thats fraud, said Elizabeth Grant, who oversees the Oregon Department of Justice Charities unit. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. 5. In the 4. The Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau uses this We agree with commenters that including individuals within the definition of private entity would undermine the intent of the statute to streamline information collection about robocalls and spoofed calls, and would create confusion for consumers about whether to use the existing informal complaint process or the new portal, or both. documents in the last year, 83 Our mission is protecting consumers and competition by preventing anticompetitive, deceptive, and unfair business practices through law enforcement, advocacy, and education without unduly burdening legitimate business activity. Start Printed Page 52843 documents in the last year, 26 Caller name: Committee for Police Officer's Defense. (562) 512-7043 is a Fake Police Charity Robocall Do not answer. 11. 154(i), 154(j), and 227, and section 10(a) of the Pallone-Thune Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act, Public Law 116-105, 133 Stat. Congressional Review Act. None of the three managers Reuters was able to identify could be reached for comment. rendition of the daily Federal Register on FederalRegister.gov does not Looking for legal documents or records? A JPMorgan spokesperson said its political action committee donated $25,000 to the attorneys general group and none of it went to the Rule of Law Defense Fund. The Commission vigorously enforces violations of section 227. The committees treasurer, attorney Chris Marston, told Reuters the purpose of the PAC was to raise money in support of candidates who would help police and firefighters., Im sure the [call] scripts didnt misrepresent anything, Marston said. Reporters visited the center last summer, though it has since closed. Reuters gains rare access into the world of fundraising for these charitable-sounding political action committees, a tiny but profitable niche in the U.S. telemarketing industry. Some tips for consumers: Listen carefully for the name of the organization. If the potential donors suspected they had given to the group before, the callers were instructed to say: I have no way of knowing because we feel that donations are given from the heart, not the hand, so we keep all donation records confidential, according to the FAQ. In addition, public entities often contact Enforcement Bureau staff directly about robocalling and spoofing matters. Organizationally and individually, we strongly condemn and disavow the events which occurred., One of its members, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, attended the rally and spoke to the crowd, saying, We will not quit fighting., Following the Capitol invasion, he tweeted, I am sorely disappointed today in the certification of the election, but I dont believe violence is the answer.. It also has roots in charity fundraising. Baker said he founded Salt Lake City fundraising firm American Public Resource because he hoped to support worthy goals like helping veterans.The firm was paid nearly $3 million from 2017 through mid-2019 for its work raising money for PACS that spent anywhere from 0% to 7% on their promoted causes. In this Issue, Documents When she later realized it was a PAC telemarketer, she felt exploited. That goal is to help police officers fight against the continuing "War on Cops" by taking a varied political stance against politicians, activist judges, prosecutors, district attorneys and a host of others who try to bring police officers down by any means. Our PAC contributions to both the Republican and Democratic Attorneys General associations were used strictly for attorneys generals campaign purposes, the spokesperson said in a statement. If you are using public inspection listings for legal research, you should verify the contents of the documents against a final, official shall send BIRMINGHAM, Alabama From unmarked strip-mall offices in small-town Alabama, the calls go out across the United States, meant to talk people into giving money for heart-tugging causes like helping breast cancer patients or the widows of fallen police officers. These tools are designed to help you understand the official document We are appalled at the events that culminated in the storming of the U.S. Capitol, the company said in a statement. 03/03/2023, 234 About 82% of the money, $13.8 million, went to Zeitlins firms, while Piaro collected $190,613 in salary from the PACs, according to the records. e.g., 7. Open for Comment, Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions, Economic Sanctions & Foreign Assets Control, Fisheries of the Northeastern United States, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, PART 64MISCELLANEOUS RULES RELATING TO COMMON CARRIERS, https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2021-14711, MODS: Government Publishing Office metadata, https://ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/06171386503472/FCC-21-75A3.pdf. In return for tax-exempt status, charities generally must register with states, disclose their key employees and account for how the money is spent in some cases by providing audited financial statements. Back in 2019, a CNN investigation traced a series of mysterious robocalls claiming to raise money for Trump's wall back to Support American Leaders PAC. In recent years, some telemarketers have used technology to bombard consumers with hundreds of millions of prerecorded calls that are often unwanted and frequently deceptive. a phone number), the caller ID information displayed, the phone number(s) called, the date(s) and time(s) of the relevant calls or texts, the name of the reporting private entity's service provider, and a description of the problematic calls or texts. Find legal resources and guidance to understand your business responsibilities and comply with the law. 16. Despite currently transitioning into my role as the newly elected chairman of RLDF, it is unacceptable that I was neither consulted about nor informed of those decisions. In the Pallone-Thune Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act (TRACED Act), Congress directed the Commission to establish regulations to create a process that "streamlines the ways in which a private entity may voluntarily share with the Commission information relating to" a call or text message that violates . 26. The calls, which often target elderly donors, come from a variety of generic and similar-sounding aliases: The Police Officers Support Association, the National Emergency Responders Coalition and. More Reuters investigations and long-form narratives, Got a confidential news tip? The Better Business Bureau says if anyone calls or knocks asking you to help the police, the best thing you can do is ask them for information before you agree to donate. The President of the United States communicates information on holidays, commemorations, special observances, trade, and policy through Proclamations. This feature is not available for this document. A website set up to promote the rally that preceded the Capitol incursion lists the Rule of Law Defense Fund as one of the participating organizations. Jessica Blanchard, 23, who worked at Politicause in 2018, said many callers either were addicts from halfway houses or jail inmates on work release. Police officers defense back. Each document posted on the site includes a link to the Reuters interviewed a dozen donors to PACs in the informal network. Federal campaign records tell part of the story. The authority citation for part 0 continues to read as follows: Authority: In addition, it serves as a valuable clearinghouse for the Commission to identify trends and activities that are negatively affecting consumers. In 2018, the Federal Trade Commission sued Zeitlin for allegedly deceptive practices in charity fundraising, but the case has been suspended because a grand jury was investigating, according to court documents. Ultimately, changes must come at the federal level, said Ellen Weintraub, a Democrat who chairs the Federal Election Commission. The calls always seem to come when you least expect it. We anticipate that this portal will be particularly useful to private entities experiencing large scale robocall incidents and voice service providers that have network analytic information.