United StatesTruth in Caller ID Act
In force since .
A telephone contact rule binding public and private bodies.
- Obligation class
- Prohibition
What it requires
- Do not cause a caller identification service to knowingly transmit misleading or inaccurate caller identification information on a voice call or text message, with the intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongfully obtain anything of value; this does not restrict blocking your own caller ID.
- Expect Federal Communications Commission forfeiture liability of up to $10,000 per violation, three times that amount for each day of a continuing violation and capped at $1,000,000 for a single act or failure to act, and a criminal fine of up to $10,000 per violation for a willful and knowing violation; the subsection gives no private suit.
These lines are LexLint's reading of the law's text.
If you get it wrong
Criminal exposureYes
Private right of actionNo
Criminal exposure note
A person who willfully and knowingly violates this subsection is, upon conviction, fined not more than $10,000 for each violation, or three times that amount for each day of a continuing violation.
Penalty structure
Civil forfeiture of up to $10,000 for each violation, or three times that amount for each day of a continuing violation, capped in aggregate at $1,000,000 for any single act or failure to act (47 U.S.C. 227(e)(5)(A)); enforced by the Federal Communications Commission, not by a private plaintiff.
- Rule
- Per violation only
- As of
- Currency
- USD
- Fixed cap
- 1,000,000
- Per violation unit
- Violation
- Per violation amount
- 10,000
Who enforces it
Enforcement body
Federal Communications Commission (civil forfeiture); United States Department of Justice (criminal prosecution); a State attorney general, suing as parens patriae after serving written notice on the Commission
What this law does
It is unlawful for any person, in connection with a voice call or text message, to cause a caller identification service to knowingly transmit misleading or inaccurate caller identification information with the intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongfully obtain anything of value; the subsection does not restrict a caller from blocking its own caller ID. Its enforcement provisions name a Federal Communications Commission forfeiture, a criminal fine and a State attorney general's civil action, and give no private suit.
A violation is punishable by a Federal Communications Commission forfeiture of up to $10,000 per violation, trebled for each day of a continuing violation and capped at $1,000,000 for any single act, and by a criminal fine of up to $10,000 per violation for a willful and knowing violation.
How courts have read itPremium data
Our analysis of this law draws on 1 court ruling.
What each ruling held, what it means for an app, and whether it still stands are premium data, in the Plus, Pro and Enterprise plans.
When LexLint raises it
When your app profile says your app places automated calls or sends automated texts.
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