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Is the government shutdown affecting robocalling?

Answer: Not yet, but it could happen if the shutdown continues.

According to Gizmodo, a visit to the Federal Trade Commission’s National Do Not Call Registry website yields the following message: “Due to the government shutdown, we are unable to offer this website service at this time.” This means that no new numbers can be added to the registry until the government reopens.

However, the registry is a list that only legitimate organizations use — most spammers ignore it anyway. The bigger concern here is that with the FTC and the FCC closed, there’s no one to crack down on illegal call operations. If this state of deregulation continues, scammers are likely to ramp up their efforts without fear of immediate repercussions.

There is one thing that has already been affected, however, and that is the type of scam being used. Robocall blocking and monitoring company YouMail recently noticed a spam call that referenced the shutdown specifically:

“Hello. I have an important update regarding your IRS tax debt. The recent government shutdown is affecting your standing with the IRS and although some IRS operations are down, billing and collections remain active. So give me a call back at this number. I love a minute of your time to talk about how we are able to help. Thanks so much.”

Kate is a senior copy editor in Northern California. She holds a bachelor's degree in English with a minor in professional writing from the University of California, Davis.