JEFFERSON CITY — State Sen. Eric Burlison, R-Battlefield, and his fellow senators, passed Senate Bill 119 on Thursday, March 25. Senate Bill 119 creates the offense of call spoofing, creates criminal penalties regarding call spoofing and allows for damages and actions against offenders. Senator Burlison believes the legislation will help curb the amount of call spoofing that occurs in Missouri.
“If you own a cell phone, chances are you have experienced call spoofing. Call spoofing occurs when a person gets a call from a fake phone number, misrepresenting the identity of the caller. Often these numbers look like a local number, but in fact are from outside Missouri or outside the country,” Sen. Burlison said. “These people often prey on Missouri’s most vulnerable populations. They pretend to be somebody else, attempt to receive personal information or money, then vanish. It’s about time we do something to stop them.”
There are several resources available to those who believe they have been the target of call spoofing. The Federal Communications Commission’s website, fcc.gov/spoofing, provides information on what to do if you fall victim to a spoofing scam. In addition, Missourians also have the ability to add their phone numbers to the Missouri No-Call List, which is available on the Missouri Attorney General’s website at ago.mo.gov.
Senate Bill 119 now heads to the Missouri House of Representatives for further consideration.
Please visit Sen. Burlison’s official Missouri Senate website for more information on his legislative agenda at senate.mo.gov/burlison.