New FCC regulations go into effect to cut down spoofed caller ID on robocalls

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The Federal Communication Commission’s STIR/SHAKEN anti-spoofing law has gone into effect starting July 1.

It is a standard that ensures calls that come in are actually from the number that shows up on your Caller ID, Forbes reported.

If a phone number is spoofed, then phone carriers can block the number.

Right now, the rules only affect large carriers, but small companies will also be required to comply, Forbes reported.

The FCC said that the largest carriers had already implemented the standards as of June 30. The commission is now considering shortening the time small carriers have to comply with the new regulations.

The FCC’s acting chairwoman, Jessica Rosenworcel, called robocall and spoofing a top priority.

“We’re not going to stop until we get robocallers, spoofers and scammers off the line,” she said.

In 2020, people received about 4 billion robocalls a month, the FCC said.

If you’re still getting robocalls, the FCC has some suggestions on how to make sure you’re not a victim of a scam:

• Don’t answer calls from unknown numbers.
• Hang up and call on your own if a caller says they’re from a company or organization.
• Hang up if you’re asked to either hit a number or say yes to stop being called. The yes that you say could be used to bill you for unauthorized charges. Hitting a number indicates that the phone number is a valid one and could lead to more calls.
• Don’t think that a local phone number is really local.
• Don’t use gift cards for payment when asked by a caller.
• File a complaint with the FCC. The agency uses complaints to track trends and investigate claims.
• Use your phone company’s robocall blocking service.
• Register for the National Do Not Call Registry.

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