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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Sixth Legislature, Second Regular Session
fraudulent voice recordings
Purpose
Classifies using a voice recording of another person with intent to induce others into thinking the voice recording is the live voice of the person as criminal impersonation, subject to a class 5 felony.
Background
A person commits
criminal impersonation by: 1) assuming a false identity with the intent to
defraud another; 2) pretending to be a representative of some person or
organization with the intent to defraud; or 3) pretending to be, or assuming a
false identity of, an employee or a representative of some person or
organization with the intent to induce another person to provide or allow
access to property. Criminal impersonation is classified as a class 6 felony (A.R.S.
§ 13-2006).
A class 6 felony carries a presumptive prison sentence of 1 year for first time offenders and a fine of not more than $150,000. A class 5 felony carries presumptive prison sentence of 1.5 years for first time offenders and a fine of not more than $150,000 (A.R.S. §§ 13-702 and 13-801).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Expands the criminal impersonation classification to include using a voice recording of another person with the intent to induce other persons into thinking that the voice recording is the live voice of the person and not a recording.
2. Classifies criminal impersonation by way of using a fraudulent voice recording as a class 5 felony.
3. Makes technical changes.
4. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
January 19, 2024
ZD/cs