This is Planet Money from NPR.

Hi, this is Suzy calling with the Vehicle Service Department.

Hey Suzy, what's up?

We are calling about your vehicle's manufacturer's warranty.

My what? My vehicle's what?

We sent you several notices in the mail that you have yet to extend your warranty past the factory cutoff.

Oh God, I don't remember you sending me anything.

And this is a courtesy call to renew your warranty before we close the file.

Is that bad? That sounds bad.

Okay, like everyone else, I usually just ignore these messages.

But the other day, and I don't know if it's pandemic brain fog or what,

but I had to really think about Suzy's message.

Like, I have to renew my insurance, my license, my registration.

Did I forget to renew my warranty?

Hello and welcome to Planet Money. I'm Amanda Aronchick.

And I'm Mary Childs, here to talk to you about your car's extended warranty.

Because you are not the only one getting these calls.

These calls are relentless.

The FCC, the Federal Communications Commission, says that for the past year,

this is the number one RoboCall, number one by a huge and growing margin.

Today on the show, the rise and fall of the biggest, baddest auto-warrenty company.

How the industry came crawling back, and how those calls became a frustratingly familiar part of our daily lives.

...