The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009
Last action · December 22, 2010: Became Public Law No: 111-331.
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What This Bill Does
This law makes it illegal to knowingly transmit misleading or inaccurate caller ID information with the intent to defraud or cause harm. It grants the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) authority to create regulations and enforce penalties, while also allowing state officials to bring civil actions on behalf of their residents.
This act establishes federal penalties for 'spoofing'—the practice of falsifying caller ID information—which can result in fines of up to $10,000 per violation or $1,000,000 for a single continuing act.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Telecommunications service providers
They must comply with new FCC regulations regarding the transmission of caller ID information.
Law enforcement agencies
They are granted specific exemptions from the prohibition on caller ID manipulation to conduct authorized investigative activities.
State Attorneys General
They are granted the authority to bring civil actions in federal court to enforce the law on behalf of their state's residents.
Key Facts
- It is unlawful to knowingly transmit misleading or inaccurate caller ID information with the intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongfully obtain value.
- The FCC must prescribe implementing regulations within 6 months of the act's enactment.
- Regulations must include exemptions for authorized law enforcement activities and court-ordered caller ID manipulation.
- Civil forfeiture penalties are capped at $10,000 per violation, or 3 times that amount per day for continuing violations, up to a $1,000,000 maximum.
Show all 10 facts
- Criminal fines for willful and knowing violations are set at up to $10,000 per violation or 3 times that amount per day for continuing violations.
- State chief legal officers may bring civil actions in federal court on behalf of state residents to enforce the law.
- The FCC has the right to intervene in any civil action brought by a state.
- There is a 2-year statute of limitations for imposing forfeiture penalties.
- The FCC must report to Congress within 6 months on whether additional legislation is needed for successor or replacement technologies.
- The law does not restrict the ability of any person to block the transmission of their caller ID information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this law stop all caller ID spoofing?
Can I still block my own caller ID information?
Who can I contact if I am a victim of caller ID fraud?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Became law.
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Expansion of State Enforcement
The act explicitly empowers state-level officials to act as federal enforcers in district courts, a common mechanism for scaling consumer protection enforcement.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.congress.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance85How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy20Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz15Current news / social attention level
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