Statement of Congressman John D. Dingell, Ranking Member
Committee on Energy and Commerce

HOUSE FLOOR DEBATE ON
H.R. 5126, THE “TRUTH IN CALLER ID ACT”

June 6, 2006

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5126, the “Truth in Caller ID Act”. And I commend the Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, Joe Barton, and Representative Eliot Engel for introducing this bipartisan bill.

Many consumers subscribe to caller ID services that let them know the number of an incoming telephone call and the name of the caller. Consumers often rely on this caller ID information to decide whether to answer a call. Consumers should be able to trust that the caller ID information has not been changed for fraudulent or harmful purposes.

Until recently, manipulating caller ID information, also called “spoofing,” was difficult and required expensive equipment. Unfortunately, advances in technology have allowed individuals with fraudulent intent, and others seeking to do harm, to easily spoof their caller ID information, making calls appear to originate from a different person, organization, or location. As such, the recipient of a call that has been spoofed may answer the call thinking that it is coming from someone from whom it is not.

There are legitimate reasons to spoof caller ID information. For example, a domestic violence clinic may alter its caller ID information to mask its identity. This is important for the safety of victims of domestic violence since many victims seek help while they are still living with their abuser.

Caller ID spoofing, however, can be used for nefarious purposes. In a widely reported case, SWAT teams were dispatched to an apartment building in New Brunswick, New Jersey, last year after authorities received a call from a woman saying that she was being held hostage. The caller had spoofed the caller ID information to make it appear as though the call was coming from inside the building.

Caller ID spoofing is also used to gain personal information from a consumer so a criminal can more easily steal the consumer’s identity. Equally troubling is the use of such spoofing by predators to cause physical or emotional harm to their victims.

H.R. 5126 will help put an end to caller ID spoofing for fraudulent or harmful purposes. Specifically, the Act makes it unlawful for someone to change their caller ID information with the intent to defraud or cause harm to another person.

This bill is good consumer protection legislation. I am pleased to support it and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

- 30 -

(Contact: Jodi Seth, 202-225-3641)