The Federal Communications Commission will seek a $5.38 million fine against Fax.com on charges of sending unsolicited commercial faxes and has sent warnings to 100 Fax.com clients, the agency said yesterday.
According to the FCC, Fax.com, a fax broadcaster, violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act ban on unsolicited commercial faxes on 489 separate occasions. Fax.com also tried to obscure its involvement in sending the faxes and has not cooperated fully with the FCC, the agency said.
“Despite repeated warnings from the commission and numerous consumer complaints, the company appears to have made no effort to mend its ways,” FCC commissioner Kathleen Abernathy said in a statement. “As a result, many consumers have been harassed in their homes and had their businesses disrupted by unwanted fax solicitations and, adding insult to injury, were forced to pay for this privilege.”
Fax.com should pay the maximum penalty of $11,000 in fines for each of the 489 violations, the FCC said. In letters to Fax.com clients, on whose behalf the FCC said the unsolicited faxes were sent, businesses were warned that they faced $11,000 per violation as well if they continue violating the TCPA.
