We can all agree that automated robocalls are an annoying interruption. But you know what’s worse? Receiving those automated calls meant for someone else, telling the company to place you on the Do Not Call list and then continuing to receive a total of 153 prerecorded messages. [More]
do not call
Another 130,000 Consumers Tell FCC: Don’t Allow Robocalling To Our Cellphones
By 3.25.15
Federal law currently bars companies from making automated, pre-recorded calls to your cellphone without obtaining explicit prior consent, but banks want to kick down that legal barrier so they can robocall without fear of penalties. In February, 60,000 consumers asked the FCC to just say no to opening this loophole, and today another 130,000 Americans are adding their voices in opposition to robocalls. [More]
Dish Found Liable For Tens Of Millions Of Calls In Violation Of Federal Telemarketing Rules
By 1.21.15
More than five years after being sued by the Federal Trade Commission for years of allegedly illegal telemarketing calls, Dish Network has been held liable by a federal court in Illinois for tens of millions of calls made in violation of the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) beginning as far back as 2007.
[More]
Sprint To Pay $7.5 Million To Settle Do-Not-Call Violations
By 5.20.14
In the largest settlement yet for violations of Do-Not-Call regulations, Sprint will pay $7.5 million to the FCC to resolve the commission’s investigation into Sprint’s failure to honor consumer requests to opt out of marketing phone calls and texts. [More]
Bank Of America To Pay $32 Million Over Robocall Allegations
By 10.3.13
Two of our favorites kinds of stories — big bank badness and robocalling — all wrapped into one breakfast burrito. Earlier this week, Bank of America reached a $32 million deal to settle complaints, filed on behalf of 7.7 million customers, that BofA repeatedly violated federal regulations by robocalling consumers’ mobile phones without permission. [More]
If Your Company Runs The Do Not Call List, Make Sure The Telemarketing Department Checks It
By 1.8.13
One might think that if you’re a company that runs both the Do Not Call registry for a country as well as a telemarketing division, the two departments might compare notes once in a while. Because how embarrassing would it be if the company’s telemarketers called people on that Do Not Call list? So embarrassing, and worth a $110,000 fine. [More]
FTC Shuts Down Robocall Scammers Pretending To Be FTC
By 12.3.12
This story is like the scene in a straight-to-DVD thriller where the protagonist needs to decide which of two seemingly identical characters, both of whom claim to be her real partner, to shoot dead. Except it’s not really anything like that because it involves robocalling, no one gets shot and it probably doesn’t star Judd Nelson. [More]
Court Rules That Best Buy Violated Federal Telemarketing Reguations
By 10.22.12
Reversing a summary judgement by a U.S. District Court, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last week that calls from Best Buy to customers asking them to update their Rewards Zone accounts cross the line from informational to telemarketing, in violation of federal law. [More]
FTC Sues Dish Network Over 'Do Not Call' Violations
By 8.23.12
Even if a consumer isn’t on the National Do Not Call Registry, when they ask a telemarketer to stop calling them, said telemarketer is legally obliged to honor that request. According to a new lawsuit filed by the Federal Trade Commission, the folks at Dish Network (allegedly) ignored this request from millions of annoyed Americans. [More]
How Did Telemarketers End Up With Number That Was Changed To Avoid Telemarketers?
By 4.10.12
A man in California was so fed up with unwanted telemarketing calls (which may be a redundancy) that he finally gave in and changed his number to one that was completely unlisted. Little did he know his actions would only lead to end up on a list of newly changed numbers that was sold to telemarketers. [More]
Keep Your Small Dog Info To Yourself; The Person Calling You Doesn't Need To Know
By 9.13.10
Here’s a weird possible scam going around. Our reader Chris writes, “Every day for the past week, I’ve been getting an automated call that asks me, ‘This is Survey 2010. Do you have a small dog?'” [More]
NY Town Considering 'Do Not Knock' List
By 7.28.10
The people in Rye, NY, are so fed-up with unsolicited visitors banging on their doors to sell them something or ask for their support in an election that they’re considering creating a “Do Not Knock” registry that would forbid door-to-door types from interrupting their peace and quiet. [More]
New Jersey Considers "Do Not Solicit" Registry To Block Credit Card Offers
By 12.15.09
New Jersey politicians appear to be engaged in some sort of contest to see who can get the most stringent anti-junk mail law passed. First an Assembleyman introduced a bill a few weeks back that would ban companies from mailing unsolocited checks to consumers. Now the Assembley’s Consumer Affairs committee has proposed starting a “Do Not Solicit” list, which would block credit card companies from offering new cards to consumers who aren’t interested. [More]
Crazy CSR Loves Spam, You, Hanging Up Abruptly
By 8.14.09
Megan sent us this transcript of a recent phone conversation she had with someone from a mysteriously generic “cardholder services” that called her.
Car Warranty Robot Calls Senator During Meeting On Capitol Hill
By 5.11.09
First they pissed off Verizon, then they pissed off the internet, the attorney general of Indiana, and Congressmen Mike Doyle. Now the group of companies responsible for the car warranty robocalls have annoyed New York Senator Chuck Schumer by calling him during an important meeting about health care.
Congressman Mike Doyle Is Pretty Much Done With These Auto Warranty Calls
By 5.8.09
Our favorite congressman, Mike Doyle (D-PA), is also fed up with the robocalls telling him his car warranty is about to expire. For those keeping track, that’s two elected officials that these robocalllers have illegally called recently. If the internet doesn’t take them out first, hopefully our public servants will. Thanks, Kenneth!
FTC Sues Dish Network For Violating Do Not Call List
By 3.25.09
A lawsuit has been filed against Dish Network by the U.S. Justice Department (on behalf of the FTC) alleging that the company violated “Do Not Call” rules by phoning potential customers without their permission.
By 3.11.09
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Missouri’s Attorney General has won a $300,000 judgment against a telemarketer that violated the state’s do-not-call list. It is the third-largest award so far.
