DALLAS — If you have any type of phone, chances are you’re getting tons of robocalls. Texas continues to be at the top of several lists as a state where people get many automated calls. 

What You Need To Know

  • U.S. and state lawmakers are working to end robocalls
  • A North Texas man and his attorneys teamed up to create a solution called The Turning Robocalls into Cash Kit
  • Some companies were made to present settlement checks for its illegal outbound calls

U.S. and state lawmakers are trying to put a stop to those calls because many of them are illegal. A man in North Texas says he’s found a solution for you to take back control of your phone. You no longer have to sit back and be at the mercy of the calls because there’s a way for you to cash out on them, while stopping the calls altogether. 

Robocalls can come at any time of the day. In Michael Delong’s case, he receives them so often he can remember one of the voicemails a robocaller left him word for word. 

“From, ‘We’ve been trying to reach you about your extended car warranty,' so yeah it’s super frustrating,” Delong said mockingly. 

Going at least one full day without a robocall used to be impossible, until he learned more about federal laws and his rights. 

There is work being done by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Federal Communication Commissions (FCC) to regulate and end the illegal robocalling industry. The government agencies report its stopped billions of calls already, but there is more work to be done because the calls constantly come in. 

Delong is also doing work on his own to not be bothered. He is using what he calls the Turning Robocalls into Cash Kit. For every telemarketer that dials his number, using the kit, he’s able to get some of the companies to cut him a settlement check for breaking federal law. So far, he’s used the kit for a year and a half and claims to have made at least $9,000. 

“The money is nice, but it’s not the point. Objective number one: stop the freaking calls,” Delong added. 

Doc Compton is the creator of these kits. Just like the FTC and the FCC, he’s helped end some robocalls for good by forcing them into bankruptcy. Before his days busting robocallers, he spent years helping people to repair their credit and avoid debt collectors who were harassing them. From there, he took what he knew about consumer protection and consulted with his attorneys to make the kits. 

It’s no surprise robocallers are not happy with Compton and the information he’s providing people. 

“I’m not real popular, I won’t be getting any Christmas cards anytime soon,” Compton said. 

Some of these callers pop back up under new numbers, so he feels like his work is never done. His kits are catching the attention of politicians here and in other states. If  you get an automated call or text without your written consent, the kit teaches you how to demand settlement money for the illegal call, if the company doesn’t budge by paying up you can decide if you want to take the company to court. 

“If they go to court, it draws a lot of unwanted attention and can even bring on scrutiny from the FCC, the FTC, the department of justice and they don’t want that,” Compton explained.