“Unlike other radio transmitting equipment, jamming equipment cannot be authorized by the FCC because the main purpose of jamming equipment is to interfere with radio communications,” the website says.
Robert McDowell, a former FCC commissioner, said any device that jams radio frequencies is illegal per se unless an authorized federal agency is the one using it.
“Jammers are illegal because they could be used for nefarious purposes and cause chaos,” he said.
McDowell, now a partner at the Cooley law firm, said there’s legal risk both in importing and in selling such devices. Customs officers at ports of entry may impound them or the FCC may act, he said.
“Retailers can be in trouble if they’re selling devices that are not authorized by the FCC,” he said.
Maverick, though, is not alone. On Amazon, nine independent sellers recently offered “jammer” devices for sale for as little as $25.63, according to searches by NBC News. The product listings said they could be used for a variety of situations, including interfering with microphones.
All nine sellers described themselves as based in China. In messages to NBC News, several said they had no information to share beyond what was on the product pages. One seller sent a message confirming that they would ship the “jammer” to California, writing, “US customers can buy it.”
NBC News did not purchase or test any of the devices and has not independently verified whether the products being delivered are accurately described by the marketing.
Some of the Amazon product listings suggested that radio frequency jammers were a part of everyday life rather than a highly regulated product. One said: “The blocker is easy to operate and can be used immediately after startup, suitable for confidential meeting, business negotiation, school, hospital, research and development center, etc.”
Some Amazon customers appeared to be suspicious of the listings. Some wrote in reviews that the products…
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