The Federal Communications Commission issued a nearly $300 million fine against an international network of robocallers as part of its efforts to cut back on phone scams.

The FCC announced the charges on Thursday against what it called a "transnational illegal robocalling operation." The operation involved a network of companies across the world that executed more than 5 billion robocalls to more than 500 million phone numbers over three months in 2021. The operation had been attempting to scam users since 2018 by claiming to facilitate the sale of vehicle services under the false notion of selling auto warranties.

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"We take seriously our responsibility to protect consumers and the integrity of U.S. communications networks from the onslaught of these types of pernicious calls," FCC Enforcement Bureau Chief Loyaan Egal said in a press statement.

The FCC countered the network's efforts by directing all U.S.-based voice service providers to stop carrying traffic from specific identifiable numbers. That action caused illegal calls from the network to drop by 99%.

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The network's owners, Roy Cox and Aaron Michael Jones, were under lifetime bans against making telemarketing calls after being sued by the Federal Trade Commission and the state of Texas in 2013.

The FCC has been actively working to quell the number of robocalls after a surge in previous years.