SACRAMENTO – Yesterday, the Assembly Judiciary Committee unanimously voted to approve Assembly Bill (AB) 1132, authored by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D – San Fernando Valley), which would prohibit telemarketers and scammers from impersonating the caller ID information of state or local government entities. The practice of misrepresenting caller ID information—known as “spoofing”—has become commonplace and poses significant risks to unsuspecting consumers. In recent weeks, scammers have used spoofing technology to impersonate local law enforcement and demand payment for the expungement of fake warrants.
After the Committee vote, Assemblymember Gabriel made the following remarks:
“As millions of Californians know far too well, spam calls and caller ID fraud are out of control. These practices are more than just annoying—they are the favored tools of those seeking to defraud California consumers. AB 1132 will crack down on these abusive practices and help protect California consumers.”
“Caller ID spoofing has become ubiquitous, with some consumers receiving dozens of calls each day,” said Ignacio Hernandez on behalf of the Consumer Federation of California. “Consumers should not have to endure a distracting sales pitch, or worse fraud and identity theft, as a result of answering their phone,” he added. “AB 1132 will discourage these activities and help restore trust in government.”
AB 1132 is supported by law enforcement and consumer groups and will be heard next in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
