New Bill Outlaws False Caller IDs

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill to prohibit the transmission of false caller IDs on voice networks, a practice known as “spoofing,” and a technique used by pranksters when making false 911 calls. The bill, H.R. 1258, is identical to a Senate bill passed last February, and it’s now headed to the President’s desk for signing. Rep. Eliot Engel (D-Tex.) introduced the bill specifically to criminalize deceptive caller ID information on VoIP calls, but the bill covers “any real time voice communications service.” Pranksters have used VoIP services to make false 911 to distant cities, and falsely report critical incidents such as shootings and kidnappings, a practice called SWATing. The false ANI/ALI displayed to the calltaker makes the 911 call appear authentic. Download (pdf) a copy of the bill here.