A new Pennsylvania law is aimed at cutting down on robocalls and phone scams that target consumers across the Commonwealth. 

Cybersecurity experts and community members hope it means fewer unwanted calls and texts. 

Hattie Keller, from Spry, says her phone rarely stops ringing

“You just want to go through the phone and beat them up,” Keller said.

She says the scam calls come all day long, making it hard to know which ones are legitimate. And she has continued to block the numbers and report them as spam, even going on the Do-Not-Call list.

“One call right after another. Half the time, I just ignore it, but I’ve been waiting for a phone call from my doctor’s office or the hospital for a surgery on my neck, and so I got to answer them all. And they’re all recordings. I get at least 20 to 30 of them a day,” she said.

A new law signed by Governor Josh Shapiro requires telemarketers to identify themselves, bans misleading caller ID information, expands protections to certain telemarketing text messages and adds new restrictions on when they can contact consumers

Supporters say it will help reduce caller ID spoofing, where scammers make calls appear to come from local or familiar numbers

“This is a big step toward preventing or minimizing spoofing calls, which mainly are targeting our seniors and vulnerable citizens,” Fred Faylona, vice chair with Cybersecurity Association of Pennsylvania.

But the problem isn’t limited to older adults. 

“I’ll get upwards of seven a day… It’s just frustrating because what if you’re waiting for a call, you just answer these phone calls, and then it’s just a phony call?” Alyssa Cannella, from New Freedom, said.

Cyber experts like Fred Faylona say scammers are constantly adapting, especially as artificial intelligence makes fraud more convincing. He says the new law is an important step, but it won’t stop every scam

“Set up your phone so that you only accept calls from known numbers in your phone book and everything else goes to voicemail. It’s still important for people to be vigilant,” he said.

Faylona recommends ignoring those unknown numbers and never sharing personal or financial information over the phone without verifying the legitimacy of the call. 

For Keller, who says the calls start before sunrise and continue into the evening, she’s hopeful the new law will bring some relief.

“I’m hoping the new law will keep them away for a while,” she said.