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WASHINGTON, DC 20510
January 25, 2012
Julius Genachowski
Chairman
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street SW
Washington, DC 20554
Dear Chairman Genachowski,
I am deeply concerned about recent reports concerning fraudulent use ofcaller 10 technology
and I urge the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to investigate abuses of caller 10.
Caller 10 is a useful service that consumers pay for and those abusing it should be prosecuted
under current law.
The New York Times recently reported on the dramatic increase of caller 10 "spoofing," or
callers that misrepresent themselves on caller 10. As reported in the article, states and the
Federal Trade Commission receive thousands of complaints each year about spoofing, and the
number of complaints is growing dramatically each year. This practice is illegal under current
law - callers must accurately identify themselves or the company they are calling on behalf of.
However, technology exists which allows these laws to be circumvented. These false caller 10
claims are not only irritating to consumers, but they undermine the purpose of caller 10, a service
the customer has paid for in order to accurately identify the caller.
Caller 10 spoofing is an invasion of personal privacy for commercial reasons and should not be
tolerated. Moreover, these misleading tactics can potentially lure consumers into giving away
personal and financial information and can even enable abusive partners to stalk and harass their
victims. I ask that you enforce the Truth in Caller 10 Act and the FCC caller 10 rules for
telemarketers to the fullest extent oCthe law, so that citizens' privacy can be respected.
Sincerely,
J~A.f1~
United States Senator
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AlFranken
United States Senator