Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced a legislative push to crack down on fraudulent spam calls and texts while speaking at a press conference at the Southwest Focal Point Community Center in Pembroke Pines this week.
Guided by Attorney General Uthmeier, the proposed Florida Anti-Spam Communications Act would give prosecutors tools against impersonation, fake warrants, undisclosed AI voices, and phone farms campaigns that many Floridians may be subject to on a daily or weekly basis.
Phone farms are a collection of smartphones that run a digital task at the same time for high volume. Fraudulent calls can include spoofs from voices impersonating cops issuing a warrant or banks and utilities asking for money by revealing personal information.
“Floridians should not have to fear every unknown call or text,” Uthmeier said in a release. “What we are talking about is fraud—pure and simple. It just arrives as a phone call, a text, a fake warrant, or an AI voice. This proposal lets our office investigate and act independently, and it gives prosecutors the tools to put the worst offenders in prison.”
Florida does not carry tough penalties for fraudulent calls and texts, including for phone farms.
The Florida Anti-Spam Communications Act would do the following.
- Impersonating an official, spoofing a number, using an AI voice to obtain money, or sending a fake warrant by text or email is regarded as communications fraud. High volume or high loss cases are also elevated to felony punishment and carry mandatory prison time, including for phone farms.
- Communication providers are mandated to verify caller ID, answer traceback requests, and cut off a named unlawful campaign after written warning.
- Tighten Florida's telemarketing consent law, including "STOP" requests being honored in days instead of weeks.
- Authority under the attorney general to investigate spam calls and texts and seek further action.
- Educate seniors through the Department of Legal Affairs on how to identify fake calls and texts.
Floridians may report suspicious calls or texts to 1-866-9NO-SCAM or MyFloridaLegal.com.
