When telemarketers disguise their phone number on your caller ID, it’s known as "call spoofing." To many, it’s irritating. To others, it's predatory. And it may soon be considered a crime in Missouri.
On Thursday the Missouri Senate passed a bill sponsored by state senator Eric Burlison of southwest Missouri that would criminalize call spoofing as a felony, as well as allow the scammers to be sued by victims in civil court. Burlison said in a press release the call spoofers often target the vulnerable.
According to the FCC, scammers can display fake phone numbers on a phone’s caller ID to make it seem like a call is coming from a local number. Some people fall prey to call spoofers when they agree to give scammers personal information, like a social security number or bank information. If you've been a victim of this activity, you can visit fcc.gov/spoofing.
The bill now heads to the Missouri House.
