FTC changes its telemarketing rules to cover growing ‘tech support scam’ calls

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has finalized amendments to its Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR), making it easier to protect consumers who are tricked into paying scam tech support companies. The FTC could already go after these fraudster companies if they initiated calls to people — now, they can do the same thing if people call the scammers too.

Fake tech support fraud has been on the rise for many years. The “company” tricks...