TALLAHASSEE – Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has proposed legislation to give his office independent authority to investigate and shut down spam calls and texts.
The measure also would give prosecutors new tools against impersonation, fake warrants, undisclosed AI voices and the phone farms that power those campaigns.
Uthmeier
“Floridians should not have to fear every unknown call or text,” Uthmeier said. “What we are talking about is fraud—pure and simple. It just arrives as a phone call, a text, a fake warrant, or an AI voice.
This proposal lets our office investigate and act independently, and it gives prosecutors the tools to put the worst offenders in prison.”
According to the AG’s office, spam floods Florida phones. It says scammers spoof government agencies, banks and utilities as well as send fake warrants and official-looking papers by text. And artificial voices make the fraud sound real.
Under current law, Uthmeier says some of these crimes don’t carry tough penalties, and Florida law does not provide consequences for the phone farms and SIM farms that blast thousands of numbers from one room.
The Florida Anti-Spam Communications Act would:
· Crack down on phone and text fraud, including AI voices and fake warrants. Impersonating an official, spoofing a number, using an undisclosed AI voice to obtain money or sending a fake warrant by text or e-mail is treated as communications fraud and simulated legal process. High-volume or high-loss cases would be an elevated felony and carry mandatory prison time. Possession or importation of a phone farm or SIM farm becomes a felony, and the equipment is designated contraband.
· Cut off unlawful traffic. Communications providers would be required to authenticate caller ID, answer traceback requests and cut off a named unlawful campaign after written notice.
· Strengthen consent and opt-outs. Florida’s telemarketing consent law is tightened, and a STOP request must be honored within days instead of weeks. Selling stolen lists used to target Florida numbers is its own civil violation.
· Give the AG’s office independent authority. The Department of Legal Affairs may investigate spam calls and texts on its own and seek injunctions, restitution and civil penalties, including against those who sell or traffic in illegally obtained records.
· Educate seniors before the next call lands. The Department of Legal Affairs would run a statewide campaign so older Floridians know how to spot a fake warrant, a spoofed number and an AI voice – and how to hang up and report it.
Uthmeier asks Floridians who receive a suspicious call or text to not send money, and he says a real court does not text a warrant. He asks residents to report such activity to his office at 1-866-9NO-SCAM or MyFloridaLegal.com.
