Telephone Consumer Protection Act
The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) adopted rules under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 that require anyone making a telephone solicitation call to your home or personal cell phone number to:
Provide his or her name;
Provide the name of the person or entity on whose behalf the call is being made;
Provide a telephone number and address at which the person or entity may be reached.
Under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, telemarketers may only make phone calls after Sam and before 9 pm. Telemarketers must comply with the National Do-Not-Call Registry and place your number of their personal do-not-call list if you request it.
The National Do-Not-Call Registry
You may place your home phone number and any personal cell phone numbers on the National Do-Not¬Call Registry. To do so, either visit www.donotcall.gov or call 1-888-382-1222. If you call, you must call from the phone number you wish to register.
Automatic Telephone Dialing Systems
Automatic telephone dialing systems (also known as “automatic dialing and announcing devices” or “autodialers”) often place artificial or prerecorded calls. The use of these autodialers can result in hang-ups, dead air, and abandoned calls. Generally, calls made through autodialers may not be made to home phone numbers except:
For emergencies needed to ensure health and safety; Calls with prior express consent;
Non-commercial calls;
Calls with no unsolicited advertisements;
Calls from or on behalf of tax-exempt, non-profit organizations.
What You Should Be Doing
If you are interested in taking action, save the message or recording, if possible. If the message cannot be saved, save the date and content of the call.
