Have you ever had someone call you with the same prefix as your phone, and you think it’s legit? It happens a lot in my area. So you block the number. Then the same company/person calls you from a different number. Well, the NC GA wants to do something more about it
Lawmakers take aim at camouflaged robocalls
How many spam calls do you get a day on your cell phone?
Many of them look like local numbers, but they’re really sales calls.
State lawmakers filed a bill Thursday to try to crack down on phone scammers.
The scammers mask their real phone number so that the call shows up on your caller ID as a local number, or from a family member or even from yourself.
It’s called neighbor spoofing – using an alias number or name to hide the caller’s actual identity. Making it look like a local call or a call from someone you know increases the likelihood that you’ll answer it.
The practice is already illegal under federal law, but robocallers are using it anyway. And it seems to be getting worse all the time.
The proposed “Truth in Caller ID Act” would ban telemarketers from using fake numbers or names at the state level. Callers would have to use their own information or the information of the business they’re representing.
You might be saying “well, it’s already illegal under federal law (and, hey, what the hell’s with the do not call list?), so, what’s the point?” If the call is originating within the state, authorities would have the power to levy fines and even criminal penalties against the companies/people in violation. Otherwise, state officials have no power to go after those breaking federal law. This empowers them. If the calls are originating from outside NC, nothing can be done. A goodly chunk do originate locally, though.
Can we all get behind this going nationwide in a bipartisan fashion?
BTW, a great app to use is Mr. Number. Though, they want to charge you now after letting you use it with all the features free for years. However, if you get version 5.2.3-6703 for Android, and make sure you turn off auto-update. This will give you full functionality, spam blocking, show you the name if it is in the system. I had been using their other app, Hiya, since back when it was called White Pages, but, I don’t know the version that would let it be free. Not sure if you can do something like this with Apple. I one time fee would be one thing. They want a monthly payment.
