Robo-callers rang Americans’ phones 26 billion times last year. Now, Congress is taking aim. | Washington Post

On a related note, see FCC “fined” robocallers $208 million since 2015 but collected only $6,790 | Ars Technica

"The newly revived effort in the Senate takes aim at those who disguise their attempts to steal Americans’ personal information — often by using phone numbers that appear similar to those they’re trying to target. These fraudulent, illegal calls comprised roughly a quarter of the 26 billion robo-calls placed to U.S. mobile numbers last year, according to one industry estimate.

Under bipartisan legislation, called the TRACED Act, the U.S. government would gain more power to slap these lawbreakers with bigger fines, while prodding AT&T, Verizon and other carriers to improve their technology so that consumers can more easily figure out if calls are real or spam. The first test for the bill arrives Wednesday, when it is scheduled to come before the tech-and-telecom focused Senate Commerce Committee for an early vote that it’s expected to pass."

Robo-callers rang Americans’ phones 26 billion times last year. Now, Congress is taking aim. | Washington Post