Wisconsin Senate Bill 531, introduced this week, amends current legislation to prohibit caller identification (ID) spoofing. Under this bill, no person may knowingly transmit misleading or inaccurate caller ID information through a telephone call or text message with the intent to defraud or wrongfully obtain anything of value, including personally identifiable information. The bill also prohibits telephone solicitors from knowingly transmitting misleading or inaccurate caller ID information for any purpose, except that the telephone solicitor may transmit the name of the seller on whose behalf the telephone solicitation is placed and the seller's customer service telephone number if an individual may call that number to make a do-not-call request during regular business hours. The bill creates an exemption for transmissions in connection with authorized activities of law enforcement agencies or a court order specifically authorizing the use of caller ID manipulation. In addition, the bill prohibits a telephone solicitor from blocking the transmission of caller ID information. A person who violates any of these prohibitions is subject to a civil forfeiture of $100 to $10,000.  If passed, this bill will be enacted in 2024.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) regularly monitors such violations and have brought action against those in violation of spoofing laws[1].

Many states are adopting similar caller ID spoof laws, and we will keep you informed on those as they evolve. If you have questions regarding this bill or caller ID spoofing, please do not hesitate to contact one of the attorneys at Cosgrove Law Group.

 

[1] CFTC Orders JPMorgan to Pay Record $920 Million for Spoofing and Manipulation https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/8260-20