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"Robocalls" banned by FTC

Shared by Niicss on Sat Sep 12, 2009 2:41 am
After lots of complaints from consumers, the Federal Trade Commission has banned robocalls (telemarketing pitches). Unless the consumers have given pre-approval in writing, the telemarketers will not be able to call them. Telemarketers violating this rule will face penalties of up to $16,000 per call. However, mortgage lenders and some other telemarketers may give you a call. Those calls which are not intended to sell goods and services will be exempt from this rule. Debt collectors can call you along with charities, politicians, banks, insurers as well as phone companies. Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/10/robocalls-banned-by-gover_n_282781.html

Community Members Opinion

Jessica
Jessica

Joined: 08 Jun 2004

Community Mentor
Posts: 808
Location: OHIO

435.67 Dollars($)

Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2009 5:54 am Post subject:

That's good news Niicss. There are several debt relief companies which call consumers who're unable to pay off bills and make false promises to get them out of debt. These companies indulge in debt relief scams thereby charging a lot of fees without providing any service in return. I think the ban on robocalls may help protect consumers from such scams. However, there are several companies – insurers, debt collectors, telephone carriers which are exempt from the ban. Moreover, there are states which have already declared robocalls as illegal. In spite of this, consumers in those states can hardly escape such telemarketing calls. Thus, the authorities need to ensure that the ban is effective enough to protect consumers at all levels. Regards, Jessica. _________________ http://jessica.mortgagefit.com/

savior70

Joined: 25 Mar 2009

Posts: 1895
Location: Florida

261.84 Dollars($)

Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2009 7:04 am Post subject:

Hi, It's good to know that the Federal Trade Commission has finally awaken up to the menace of robocalls, after having received thousands of consumer complaints over the years. The new rule is welcome as people can now expect to get rid of those pesky telemarketing calls that haunt them even at odd hours of the day. However, as it has already been noted, this rule does not quite put a full stop to the robocalls. The FTC has a limited jurisdiction and cannot regulate advertising by certain financial institutions, including banks, savings and loans etc. Many fear that those who are exempt from the rule will now bombard the consumers with phone advertisements, often misleading, at a time when the struggling homeowners are looking to refinance or modify their loans. Hence, it's too early to say whether this ban on certain types of robocalls will at all be much beneficial for the consumers. However, it must also be added that this new rule will definitely relieve the consumers from such pesky calls to a certain extent at least.

eric1

Joined: 04 Jan 2009

Community Expert
Posts: 1511

226.89 Dollars($)

Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2009 7:27 am Post subject:

yeah I will believe it when I see it. I get those calls all of the time and do not anticipate that they will go away. _________________ Eric JFree Rate Quote, Stated Income Loans FHA RATE QUOTE Mortgage Rate Quote

gmakerley

Joined: 09 Nov 2007

Community Mentor
Posts: 12346
Location: bloomfield, ct

53.01 Dollars($)

Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 9:28 am Post subject:

but of course these robocalls still come in, regardless. i just fielded one here at work the other day, for "debt consolidation." and yes, i said the call came to our place of business. anyway, here's how i reacted - i waited for the opportunity to press "1" and when a human came on the line, i immediately informed her that i was reporting them to the federal trade commission. of course, they clicked me off immediately, and that was fine. i then went online and filed a formal complaint with the ftc (ftc.gov). so until these things stop happening, i think it a worthwhile exercise to file a formal complaint. _________________ George M. Akerley Independent Contractor - Mortgage Consultant Word of Excellence Editing/Writing/Proofreading 860-221-5044


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