This is the best summary I could come up with:

The FCC’s robocaller penalties are growing as the agency tracks down and terminates their operations — this time resulting in a record $300 million forfeiture.

Having identified the particulars of the long-running scheme, which used the promise of selling auto warranties to collect personal information from people.

“Armed with the facts [the FCC] gave phone companies permission to cut off this traffic before going one step further and directing them to block it outright.

The FCC is limited to investigating, taking counter-actions (like asking phone companies to stop carrying certain callers), and documenting the extent of the alleged criminal activity.

A few years ago I wrote about how these fines often end up largely unpaid or drastically reduced due to loopholes and a lack of resources on the enforcers’ side.

Today’s operation is described as being “transnational,” which is not elaborated upon but strongly suggests even greater difficulties in tracking down and squeezing the money out of those responsible.

I’m a bot and I’m open source!

Fines and collects are very different things. They can fine anyone they please but it really doesn’t mean much if they can’t collect it.

STIR/SHAKEN should slowly start cutting back on this as it soaks in more. Fun fact: if you have an iPhone you can see which calls have passed verification if they have a check mark next to it. That means that phone number should not be spoofed and was authenticated by the originating carrier before sending to you

I recommend the death sentence for their crimes. It is easier to collect than these fines and would actually act as a deterrent.