Why do I have wired security cameras? Because Amazon sells WiFi jammers. I'm fine with that, but the Federal Communications Commission is not.
In a rare statement publicly confirming the probe, FCC spokesperson Will Wiquist said the FCC has "several ongoing investigations into retailers, including Amazon, for potential violations of Commission rules related to the marketing and sale of equipment without proper FCC authorization."
More from NBC News, which made a big fuss about the easy availability of radios in a story Wednesday.
Maverick Drone Systems, a Minnesota-based company, has been offering a portable anti-drone "RF jamming unit" for $2,999 on its website, with China-based company Tatusky listed as the supplier. The jammer, which vaguely resembles a shotgun, is "easy to use" and has a range of 1-2 kilometers, according to the listing. "Anybody could pick one of these up tomorrow," Maverick CEO Adam Shaw said in a phone interview. …
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.
Note the way we're flipping a playing card here with "$3k quasi-military hardware here" on one side and "$30 wifi jammers on Amazon" on the other. It's all illegal, all the same.
Previously: Self-tuning portable RF jammer disguised as menthol cigs
