FTC Resources for Reporters
Robocalls and the Do Not Call Registry
In recent years, some telemarketers have used technology to bombard consumers with hundreds of millions of prerecorded calls that are often unwanted and frequently deceptive. On September 1, 2009, new FTC rules went into effect prohibiting most prerecorded telemarketing calls, commonly known as robocalls, unless the telemarketer has the consumer’s prior written authorization to transmit such calls.
News Releases:
- FTC Robocall Challenge Garners More Than 700 Submissions – 01/31/13
- FTC Shuts Down Robocall Operation That Allegedly Claimed to Help Consumers Get FTC Consumer Refunds – 12/03/12
- FTC Leads Joint Law Enforcement Effort Against Companies That Allegedly Made Deceptive “Cardholder Services” Robocalls – 11/01/12
- FTC to Announce More Cases Against Deceptive “Robocallers” – 10/31/12
- FTC Challenges Innovators to Do Battle with Robocallers – 10/18/12
- Federal Trade Commission to Host Robocall Summit Tomorrow – 10/17/12
- FTC Issues FY 2012 National Do Not Call Registry Data Book – 10/16/12
- FTC Acts to Halt Medical Plan Scheme that Targeted Vulnerable Consumers – 10/10/12
- FTC Announces Agenda for Robocall Summit on October 18, 2012 – 10/04/12
- FTC Action Halts Debt Relief Marketing Operation – 09/18/12
- FTC Offers Consumers Tips on How to Respond to Unwanted Robocalls – 07/10/12
- FTC Action Puts Robocallers Out of the Telemarketing Business – 03/28/12
- FTC Takes Action to Stop Massive Robocalling Operations – 02/24/2012
- FTC Charges Telemarketers with Illegal Robocalling – 12/19/2011
- FTC Charges Telemarketers with Enabling Illegal Robocalling – 11/22/2011
- FTC Takes Action to Stop Massive Robocalling Operations – 02/24/2011
- FTC Charges Telemarketers with Illegal Robocalling – 02/19/2011
- FTC Sends Refund Claim Forms to Nearly 12,000 Victims of Auto Warranty Robocaller – 02/16/2011
- Court shutters international robocall operation – 11/15/2010
- Court halts massive robocall operation – 06/10/2010
- Women's Clothing Retailer Talbots and its Telemarketer to Pay Total of $161,000 for Violating FTC's Robocall 'Opt–Out' Requirements – 4/27/2010
- FTC sues to stop deceptive credit card rate reduction robocalls – 12/8/2009
- Dish Network Dealers Settle With FTC Over 'Do Not Call' Charges – 9/22/2009
- Changes to robocall telemarketing rules (2009) – 08/27/2009
- FTC Cracks Down on Scammers Trying to Take Advantage of the Economic Downturn – 7/01/2009
- FTC sues to stop robocalls pitching extended auto warranties – 05/14/2009
- DIRECTV, Comcast to Pay Total of $3.21 Million for Entity–Specific Do Not Call Violations – 4/16/2009
- FTC Charges Dish Network, Formerly Known as EchoStar, with Multiple Do Not Call Violations – 3/25/2009
Reports and Workshops:
- Robocalls: All the Rage (October 2012)
Facebook Questions and Answers:
- FTC Robocalls Facebook Q&A Transcript – 07/17/2012
Twitter Questions and Answers:
- FTC Robocalls Twitter Chat Transcript – 07/17/2012
Consumer Education:
