FCC Investigates Amazon and Retailers for Illegal Sale of Wireless Signal Jammers
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has initiated an investigation into Amazon and other retailers following allegations of marketing and selling illegal electronic devices designed to disrupt wireless signals sent by other electronics.
This inquiry comes after NBC News uncovered the sale of radio frequency jammers, which are advertised for purposes such as deterring drones or maintaining privacy.
NBC News recently conducted an investigation revealing multiple retailers offering radio frequency jammers for sale, despite such devices being illegal to sell and operate in the United States. The FCC emphasized that federal law strictly prohibits the operation, marketing, or sale of any jamming equipment that interferes with authorized radio communications, including cellular networks, police radar, and GPS systems.
According to NBC’s findings, nine independent sellers on Amazon, as well as online stores based in China and domestic companies specializing in drone-related equipment, were found to be selling these jammers. One Minnesota-based company was offering a portable anti-drone “RF jamming unit” for $2,999 on its website, sourced from a China-based company. The device, described as resembling a shotgun and with a range of 1-2 kilometers (0.6 – 1.2 miles), was marketed as easy to use.
In response to these findings, Jonathan Uriarte, Director of Strategic Communications at the FCC, announced that the agency is investigating Amazon and other retailers for potential violations of Commission rules related to the unauthorized sale and marketing of such equipment.
Last month, reports emerged from Minnesota regarding burglars using Wi-Fi jammers to temporarily disable homeowners’ connected security systems, including surveillance cameras. Although these jammers do not physically block signals, they overload wireless networks, preventing genuine traffic from reaching the devices. While incidents of this nature have been sporadic over the past six months, criminals have long utilized jammers to bypass security measures such as Ring video doorbells.
