Vanquish Telemarketing Calls - Breathing Space Blog

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 regulates telemarketing calls. Telemarketers violate the law by using a machine to play a recorded sales pitch, by calling you between the hours of 9 p.m. and 8 a.m., or by calling you within one year after being told "not to."

To avoid some of the law's loopholes, say the following to a telemarketer:

* Put me on your do-not-call list.
* Do not solicit me for anything offered by your firm, its clients, affiliates, subsidiaries, or principals.
* Notify other affiliated organizations of my request.

You may ask that a copy of the telemarketer's "do not call" policy be mailed to your home. If a telemarketer calls you again within one year, or if you do not get the telemarketer's written "do not call" policy, you can sue for $500 for each violation.

These rules apply only to telemarketers making sales calls to your home; see www.fcc.gov/cgb/donotcall. Calls from charities or survey groups are not covered. Also, if you have not done so already register all of your phone numbers with the National Do Not Call Registry. Most telemarketers (some are exempt) will be required to stop calling you 31 days from your registration date. Your registration is good for three years. Visit: http://www.donotcall.gov/