WNY Representatives Calling For Harsher Penalties For Robocalls

There are things that we can all probably agree on...sandflies in the Summer in WNY serve no useful purpose and are probably an instrument of car washes.  We don't need a greeting or welcome screen on an ATM, it just takes up more time...and Robocalls are the most annoying thing since the creation of the busy signal (remember those)...

If you answer the phone and hear a recorded message instead of a live person, it's a robocall. If you’re getting a lot of robocalls trying to sell you something, odds are the calls are illegal. Many are also probably scams...

Two WNY representatives Senator Chuck Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand want to make more severe penalties for anyone who uses robocalls incorrectly, including large fines and jail time.

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According to a story aired on WKBW-TV they're introducing a piece of legislation called The Deter Obnoxious, Nefarious, and Outrageous Telephone Call Act, The DO NOT Call Act for short.

If this bill passes, anyone using robocalls illegally could face up to three years in prison and face a $20,000 fine.

This legislation won't make a huge difference overnight so with that in mind here are some tips you can use now to slow down or stop the calls.

The Federal Trade Commission says: Don't ask to be placed on a do not call list. Hang up, right away.

Register for the national Do Not Call List at DoNotCall.gov. There you can report any robocalls. That information can help the FTC track down those responsible for robocalls.