Assemblywoman Amy Paulin (Scarsdale, Eastchester, Tuckahoe, Bronxville, Pelham, Pelham Manor, and parts of New Rochelle and White Plains) introduced legislation against telemarketers that “spoof,” or alter the number that appears on a person’s Caller ID. The proposal has passed the Assembly and will now move on to the state senate.
Her communications director sent out a press release, which reads as follows:
Assemblywoman Amy Paulin’s legislation to ban telephone ‘spoofing’ has passed the Assembly. The legislation (A9390) would outlaw ‘spoofing,’ a practice where telemarketers and others seek to mask their true identity by altering the number that appears on a person’s Caller ID.
The ban will protect residents from deception, harassment and possible fraud over the phone lines.
Some telemarketing firms have used ‘spoofing’ to get users to pick up the phone, because the call seems to be a personal call from a local area code, rather than an 800 number.
“Spoofing is deceptive,” said Assemblywoman Paulin, “People have the right to screen their calls as they see fit, whether this protects residents from being disturbed in the middle of dinner to possibly becoming a victim of fraud.”
The legislation will allow the attorney general and private parties to seek both injunctive and monetary relief from violators found to have used spoofing with the intent to defraud, harass, mislead, or cause harm to a person.
Senator Craig Johnson is sponsoring the bill in the senate.
NY State Budget
How is the budget going? I think that should be the focus being it is late. This other legislation seems minor in light of the lack of a budget.