FTC Warns of Rising Robocall Threat Driven by AI, Foreign Scammers
Officials highlight enforcement efforts at Senate oversight hearing.
WASHINGTON, April 15, 2026 – Officials from the Federal Trade Commission warned lawmakers Wednesday that robocalls remain a growing threat to consumers, fueled by artificial intelligence and overseas scam operations.
Testifying before the Senate Commerce Science, and Transportation Committee, FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson (R) said the scale of the problem has intensified in recent years, with foreign-based actors playing a major role. He emphasized coordination with the Federal Communications Commission.
“We cannot overstate how big an overseas problem this is for us,” Ferguson said. “How many of these scams are lobbed in by foreigners in call centers and other operations, in parts of the world where they don’t bat an eye at the risk of civil enforcement from the FTC.”
