How does the National Do Not Call Registry Work?
The FTC’s National Do Not Call Registry has been accepting registrations from consumers who choose not to receive telemarketing sales calls since 2003. Consumers can place their telephone numbers on the National Registry by making a toll-free telephone call or via the Internet. Only telephone numbers are included in the National Registry. This means that all household members who share a number will stop receiving most telemarketing calls after the number is registered. Consumers may register both their residential “land line” telephone numbers and their wireless telephone numbers. It is a Rule violation to make any covered calls without having scrubbed your call list against the National Do Not Call Registry - that is, deleting all numbers in the National Do Not Call Registry from their lists - at least every 31 days.
Violators will be subject to civil penalties of up to $16,000 ($40,000 beginning 08/01/16) per violation, as well as injunctive remedies. The provision does not apply to business-to-business calls or calls to consumers from or on behalf of charities. Still, telefunders calling to solicit charitable contributions must honor a donor’s request not to be called on behalf of a particular charitable organization.
The Do Not Call provisions of the TSR cover any plan, program, or campaign to sell goods or services involving interstate phone calls. This includes calls by telemarketers who solicit consumers, often on behalf of third-party sellers. It also includes sellers who are paid to provide, offer to provide, or arrange to provide goods or services to consumers. However, sellers and telemarketers should also be aware that the FCC regulates telemarketing calls. For more information, see the FCC’s Web site, www.fcc.gov.
What are the Penalties for Violating the Telemarketing Sales Rule?
Anyone who violates the Rule is subject to civil penalties of up to $16,000 ($40,000 beginning 08/01/16) per violation. In addition, violators may be subject to nationwide injunctions that prohibit certain conduct, and may be required to pay redress to injured consumers.
Cell has been on DO NOT CALL LIST for years and lately it's been getting calls from unknown out of state numbers repeatedly. This is just another one. This number is for important contact, not frivolous trash. The No-call list is not working to curb these interruptions and to have this phone ring uselessly, especially when out or in my car, is beyond excusable. Junk calls poisoned the land line, then they invaded senselessly the cable phone to make it a waste - now my cell. Sickening.