Sen. Chuck Schumer Calls For $10,000 Fine On Every Robocall
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) - Putting an end to the plague of robocalls once and for all, Sen. Chuck Schumer has a plan to stop them before the phone rings.
Unwitting victims are getting robocalls all hours of the day and night, often from overseas, reports CBS2's Marcia Kramer.
When targeted people call back thinking it's important, they're hit with exorbitant international fees.
"These robocalls are killers," said Schumer while visiting a senior center Friday in New Rochelle, N.Y.
He wants to give the feds the authority to stop the calls that are skyrocketing in New York.
In April, there were 290 million calls in New York - that's 112 per second, 11 per person.
And it's not just calls from overseas, it's all kinds of scams.
The senator is calling on the house to pass a bill already approved by the senate to force phone companies to use newly developed authentication technology to filter out robocalls.
"They can trace the calls from where it comes from and stop it," said Schumer.
MORE: FCC Votes To Give Phone Companies Power To Block Robocalls From Reaching You
Local residents know all too well what it's like to be victimized.
"It's awful," said Rev. Dierdra Clark.
Schumer wants to give the Federal Communications Commission the ability to fine robocall perpetrators $10,000 per call. The senator says they can make millions of calls with the push of a button.
It will teach the scammers they're simply dialing the wrong number.
