[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 51 (Friday, March 23, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E620]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 PREVENTING HARASSMENT THROUGH OUTBOUND NUMBER ENFORCEMENT (PHONE) ACT 
                                OF 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 21, 2007

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H.R. 740, 
because it is important that we broaden the scope of current law to 
prohibit a person from engaging in ``spoofing,'' which is the use of 
incorrect, fake or fraudulent caller identification--caller ID--to hide 
their identity in order to facilitate a fraudulent telephone call to 
the recipient. In addition, the bill provides the tools needed for the 
Department of Justice to prosecute and protect against criminals who 
engage in spoofing.
  H.R. 740, the Preventing Harassment through Outbound Number 
Enforcement--PHONE--Act of 2007, is intended to help protect consumers 
from harassment, identity theft, and other crimes. The legislation 
creates a new Federal crime to prohibit using or providing, in 
interstate or foreign commerce, false caller ID information with the 
intent to defraud.
  Recently, the technology needed to spoof has become readily 
available, either through the purchase of Internet telephone equipment 
or through Web sites specifically set up to spoof. For example, Voice-
over-Internet-Protocol--VOIP--equipment can easily be configured to 
populate the caller ID field with information of the user's choosing. 
Some of the technology can block any back technology such as the star 
symbol or dash 69.
  Caller ID spoofing is a form of identity theft that can cause damaged 
credit and financial ruin. Call recipients sometimes divulge personal 
and private information to the spoofer, under the mistaken belief that 
the caller is a legitimate caller. For example, the AARP--formerly the 
American Association of Retired Persons--has reported cases in which 
people received calls that made false claims that they missed jury 
duty. To avoid prosecution, these individuals were told they needed to 
provide their Social Security number and other personal information. 
The phone number that appeared on their caller ID was from the local 
courthouse, so people assumed the caller was telling the truth.
  In addition to identity theft, spoofing invades the privacy of those 
individuals whose caller ID is used to mask fraudulent calls and can be 
used as a form of aggressive harassment. The use of this technology has 
been linked to fraud, prank telephone calls, political attacks, and 
telemarketers who attempt to avoid the current ``do not call'' limits.
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H.R. 740 and urge my colleagues to 
join me in voting for its passage.

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