English
EspañolIs spoofing illegal?
Most states do not have laws that specifically deal with spoofing technology itself. However, there is a federal law, which applies to all states, called the Truth in Caller ID Act. This law prohibits falsifying or spoofing caller ID to do any of the following:
- to cheat or trick someone out of something (defraud);
- to cause harm; or
- to wrongly obtain anything of value.1
If a person breaks this law, s/he can be reported to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). S/he may face penalties of up to $10,000.
Note: The law does allow people to use caller ID spoofing to protect their personal information and privacy if there are good intentions. For instance, victims of domestic violence who are concerned for their safety might mask their number if they have to call a relative of the abuser and don’t want their actual phone number revealed. The law only bans it being done to cause harm or to defraud anyone.
To learn more about the Truth in Caller ID Act, including information on how to make a complaint if you believe someone is spoofing you illegally, visit the FCC’s website.
1 47 U.S.C. § 227(e)
