HARRISBURG (Sept. 21, 2020) Sen. Michele Brooks is pleased to announce that the Commonwealth has moved closer to cracking down on deceptive and nuisance telephone calls with today’s unanimous vote by the Senate to pass her legislation banning the practice of Caller ID “spoofing.”
Senate Bill 764 is designed to protect citizens from misleading telemarketing “robocalls,” particularly those that disguise their real phone number by making it look like a local number, increasing the likelihood that the call will be answered.
Unfortunately, these computerized telemarketing messages can be intrusive, and can also prey on trusting Pennsylvanians, including vulnerable senior citizens.
“Our citizens should not be fooled into thinking a spam call is a local call,” Sen. Brooks said. “Many of these calls are intended to harass, defraud or otherwise harm or take something of value from innocent parties, and should not come across the Caller ID as being a local number when they are, many times, being made from other states or from who knows where.”
Brooks noted that the legislation also prevents telemarketing calls after 8 pm and before 8 am.
“It is my hope that this legislation will help to better protect Pennsylvanians from fraudulent calls as well as the many inconveniences caused by telemarketing calls at all hours of the day and night.”
Senate Bill 764 now heads to the House of Representatives for its consideration.
CONTACT: Diane McNaughton (717) 787-1322 dmmcnaughton@pasen.gov