Savvy Scammers May Put Bipartisan Robocall Bill to Test (1)

It’s not easy to stop a robocaller.

The Federal Communications Commission has levied millions of dollars in fines for tricking consumers with spoofed calls. Phone companies like Verizon Communications Inc. and AT&T Inc. offer call-blocking tools and are working with law enforcement to crack down on scammers. Still, the number of robocalls received yearly are in the billions and rising.

After failing at least a dozen times to pass legislation to address the problem, Congress is considering a measure with good prospects of passage. The bipartisan TRACED Act (S. 151) by Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Ed Markey ...