I hope McConnell and his cronies don't screw this up...

[Archae]

Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) has introduced the Repeated Objectionable Bothering of Consumers on Phones (ROBOCOP) Act (S. 3016), which would force telephone companies to enable their customers to block unwanted robocalls without charge. [Schumer reveals: last month alone, nearly 50 million robocalls rang in just two NYC area codes; old methods to hangup on robocalls not working; annoying calls going up nationwide; senator introduces new bill—Robocop Act—to mandate blocking technology so millions of consumers can stop the calls. Schumer press release, June 5, 2016] An identical measure (H.R. 4932) is awaiting action in the House of Representatives. Robocalls are phone calls that use automated dialing machines to either play a pre-recorded message or connect to a live person. In many cases, they are made by fraudulent companies trying to steal money from the person on the other end of the phone. Many are placed using "caller ID spoofing" that makes the caller ID display the phone number of a government agency, credit card company, or bank. Under the "Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009," this practice is illegal if used for the purpose of defrauding or otherwise causing harm. However, even though many of these calls clearly violate the law, it is difficult to catch the perpetrators, many of whom are overseas and/or hiding behind fake numbers. People interested in decreasing robocalls should register their interest with Consumers Union.

https://www.schumer.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/schumer-reveals-last-month-alone-nearly-50-million-robocalls-rang-in-just-two-nyc-area-codes-old-methods-to-hangup-on-robocalls-not-working-annoying-calls-going-up-nationwide-senator-introduces-new-billrobocop-actto-mandate-blocking-technology-so-millions-of-consumers-can-stop-the-calls

[uponit7771]

1. +1