Broward Directory Blog

The Federal Trade Commission this week adopted a new rule that will prohibit telemarketers from calling households with prerecorded messages — except in cases where consumers have given the caller written consent to dial their number.

Beginning in September 2009, you can say farewell to annoying, so-called ''robo calls'' that feature a prerecorded sales pitch or similar message. These ''messages,'' invariably ''very important'' according to the recorded voice, often amount to nothing more than a stab in the dark by a telemarketer hoping to entice an unsuspecting customer into buying an extended auto warranty or other product.

Rule Will Halt Prerecorded Sales Calls Unless the Seller Obtains Consumer's Permission

Between now and 2009, telemarketers must provide an obvious, easy and quick way for consumers to opt-out of any call, the FTC said. Such an opt-out mechanism needs to be in place by December 1, 2008.

NetworkWorld Article
http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/31211&

Miami Herald Article
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/story/652565.html

The actual news release from the FTC
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2008/08/tsr.shtm

People posting their comments about the proposed new rule
# 186 16 C.F.R. Part 310: Telemarketing Sales Rule: Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking – “TSR Prerecorded Call Prohibition and Call Abandonment Standard Modification, Matter No. R411001”
http://www.ftc.gov/os/comments/tsrrevisedcallabandon/index.shtm

To File a Complaint:
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/

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The National Do Not Call List

https://www.donotcall.gov/

Your registration will not expire. Telephone numbers placed on the National Do Not Call Registry will remain on it permanently due to the Do-Not-Call Improvement Act of 2007, which became law in February 2008. Read more about it at http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2008/04/dncfyi.shtm.

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The Florida Statues concerning Telephone Solicitation

501.059  Telephone solicitation.– 

To File a complaint for Robo calls that violate your Rights

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Florida Do Not Call Program

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services maintains the State's "Do Not Call" list.

There is an  initial fee of $10 for each residential phone number and a $5 renewal fee for each residential phone number each year thereafter.  The fees are used to pay the expenses for operating the program and enforcing the law.

Residents who wish to join the program should call the 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352), or for the Spanish help line en Español 1-800-FL-AYUDA (352-9832) to receive an application via regular mail or download the Do Not Call Subscriber Form [PDF] the application to print and send in with your payment.

The form
http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/onestop/forms/10400.pdf

For complete information about the program with the State of Florida
http://www.800helpfla.com/nosales.html