US FCC Exposes First AI Robocall Crew, Dubbed ‘Royal Tiger’

The Federal Communications Commission has identified and exposed its first robocall gang, releasing details about the group’s modus operandi in an effort to thwart scammers on an international scale.

Robocall Crew Exposed by the FCC

Dubbed “Royal Tiger,” the robocall gang used AI voice cloning to masquerade as staff from institutions and companies such as banks, utilities and government agencies. The group lured victims with fake purchase authorization orders and credit card interest rate reductions, creating an illusion that would trap them in fraud.

Additionally, the gang also resorted to spoofing techniques to trick victims into handing over financial data and other sensitive information, letting perpetrators zero in on individuals.

The FCC ruled that Royal Tiger members collectively violated the US Telephone Consumer Protection Act as well as FCC rules on robocalls by failing to obtain consent from the call recipients.

Crew Members and Entities Spanning Several Countries

The crew consisted of members and entities linked to or located in the United States, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and India. The group was led by Prince Jashvantlal Anand, who operated under the “Frank Murphy” moniker, and his associate, Kaushal Bhavsar.

According to the agency, “Royal Tiger” constantly shifted addresses, ran the operation through several companies and used various other tricks to dodge law enforcement.

FCC Classified Robocall Crew as First ‘C-CIST’

Aside from exposing the group and elaborating on its methodology, the FCC also slapped a “Consumer Communications Information Services Threat (C-CIST)” label on it. The reasoning behind this decision was that the group’s action could seriously compromise public trust in the integrity of communication and information services.

“The Bureau classifies a party as a C-CIST when the party’s misconduct—in either nature or scope—poses a significant threat to consumer trust in the integrity of communications information services,” reads the FCC’s press release. “The Bureau applies this classification to heighten awareness of these threat actors among our domestic and international regulatory and law enforcement partners, as well as industry stakeholders.”

Identifying and Avoiding Scam Calls

Learning about the techniques threat actors frequently employ in scam phone calls can help you identify and avoid them more effectively. Nowadays, aided by AI’s continuous expansion, scam callers are more motivated and better-equipped than ever to wreak havoc among unsuspecting victims.