Arkansas Bill Proposes Charging Robocallers With A Felony

Robocallers continue to be a nuisance for people in the United States. Robocalls surged 46 percent in 2018 with more than 26.3 billion calls being placed just last year alone. The problem only seems to be growing and as people call on the FCC and carriers to take concrete steps against them, Arkansas legislature is considering a different option. A bill has been tabled which proposes charging robocallers with a felony.

Arkansas’s state Senate has put forward a bill which would charge robocallers that use number spoofing techniques in order to get people to answer with a felony. The spoofing technique makes it appear to the person that the call is coming from someone that they might know. It’s done by falsifying phone numbers.

State Attorney General Leslie Rutledge put forward the bill which was unanimously advanced to the House. Rutledge said in a statement that “I am thrilled that the Senate passed the bill unanimously and look forward to a similar vote in the House.”

Robocallers who spoof numbers would be punishable by six years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 if the bill is approved and becomes law. Telecom companies would be required to put in place preventative measures and detail the steps taken in an annual report sent to the Arkansas Public Service Commission.

Adnan Farooqui
Categories: Cellphones