According to an Associated Press release, using false caller ID with the intent of tricking people into revealing personal information may become illegal under legislation that passed the House on Wednesday.

ID “spoofing” is a growing threat because of new technology making it cheap and easy to change the name and number that phone call recipients see on their caller ID. Here is how it works.

A scammer uses the caller ID of a bank as a way of tricking a person into revealing his Social Security number, bank account or credit card numbers. Last year in New York City, police uncovered an identity theft ring that used caller ID spoofing to steal more than $15 million from 6,000 victims. In another case, a woman used the caller ID of a pharmacist to trick a romantic rival into taking a drug used to cause abortions.

The legislation would only outlaw the use of spoofing technology when the intent is to deceive and harm the recipient of the call. Legitimate uses of the technology, such as a domestic abuse shelter changing its number to protect an occupant of the shelter, would still be permitted.

The measure gives the Federal Communications Commission authority to develop regulations to enforce the new law. Violators could be subject to $10,000 in fines and up to a year in prison.