Make wishtv.com your home page

Lawmakers hear about robocalling tricks

(Photo From Nexstar Video, File)

WASHINGTON (Nexstar) — On Capitol Hill, law enforcement officials told the Senate Aging Committee about the tricks scammers use to steal money over the phone.

Sheriff Jerry L. Sanders Jr. of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, said, “Most common form is the caller claims that the potential victim has missed jury duty, and there is warrant for their arrest.”

Sanders said the caller typically uses spoofing technology and impersonates someone from the sheriff’s office.

“They advised one of the victims, a 65-year-old doctor, that he was subject to arrest for not responding to a grand jury subpoena.”

The sheriff said his office successfully stopped that attempt but is not always so lucky.

“Often trying to keep the public aware to avoid victimization is the best we can do. “

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, a Pennsylvania Democrat, said he hopes the Stop Senior Scams Act will help those efforts by educating more people on how to spot when a senior is being taken advantage of.

Casey called the bill “another line of defense against scammers by giving bank tellers, cashiers and others the tools to spot a scam.”

“Many in our country are divided on a range of issues but we’re united as Americans in despising these robocalls.”

The committee also wants the phone industry to adopt and implement the most modern call-blocking technologies.

The committee said it’s past time for Congress to get a grip on robocalls.

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, said, robocallers in 2018 generated more than 26 billion unwanted calls. This year, the total is on pace to hit 58 billion.