Mass. Needs to Make Up for FCC Robocall Shortfalls: Legislators

Massachusetts needs its own rules against phone number spoofing because federal efforts fall short, legislators said Monday during a hearing of the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure. The FCC stepping up robocall enforcement “isn’t enough,” said Rep. John Barrett (D), testifying in favor of HB-312. The FCC didn’t comment. Under federal law, spoofing is allowed unless a person is doing it knowingly with intent to defraud, but "why would there be any other reason?" Barrett asked. He said scammers "were out in force" during this pandemic. He said states enacted legislation to tackle spoofing, but "they're just not doing enough at the federal level." Echoing Barrett, Rep. Tom Walsh (D) said a caller using a Massachusetts area code should be required to be within the state and have a number attributable and traceable to the calling party. The federal government “seem[s] to have been dragging their feet a little bit," he said.