Bob's Do-Not-Call Protection Blog

"Nothing is wrong with your credit card, but you must press one for critical information..." Sound familiar? "This is your Google ad lady...This is the IRS calling...This is Microsoft repair..." The real Google, IRS, and Microsoft Repair would never call you by the way! In April 2017 there were 2.5 billion robocalls placed in the U.S. The FCC defines them as:  Unsolicited, pre-recorded messages placed without written or verbal consent. All this gratuitous scamming makes it difficult for legitimate companies to communicate - and tough for authorities to catch the intentionally unlawful perpetrators.

Uh oh - too late - did it again: Called a professional TCPA litigant. You know, the consumer plaintiff that files in multiple districts just to see what sticks. The TCPA antagonizer filling out your lead form only to bait you into improper follow-up. Even as a helpful, well-trained call associate you have no chance at spotting these expert Telephone Consumer Protection Act prosecutors - until it's too late.

Dish Network has had a rough go of it with call compliance. Some would say a complete disregard for the Do-Not-Call and TCPA Laws. Going to their annual meetings as a compliance provider yielded some memorable laughs from the many, ah, wild west vendors: "Ya mean ta tell me we need to watch who we call..." Let's take a look at the recent decision.

A TCPA Litigant Scrub is an effective way to eliminate former call prohibition prosecutors and professional consumer plaintiffs from your call lists. It's made up of phone numbers associated directly with TCPA complaints, numbers from clients, and skiptracing appends. Litigant Scrub is subscription based, consists of about 120,000 participants and is updated at 1200 per month. It can even be used to cleanse your inbound web forms from potential plaintiffs eager to bait you into follow-up call errors.

Virtually every phone-centric marketing company and servicing business agrees : Don't call previous TCPA lawsuit filers. It's at the top of their phone security list. Call centers concede the importance. No room for objections here right? So why doesn't every company screen out these troublemakers before calling? The one's causing many of class actions - and 40% of whom have sued more than once under the statutes. Let's look at some excuses that could cost you.

It can become confusing and time-consuming for a single real estate agent to adequately comply with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and Do-Not-Call Laws. What's more, the amount of misinformation on call prohibitions available to associates can be costly and downright scary. Let's take a look at one agent's challenges and solutions.

Think you can buy your way out of mediocre compliance procedures? Calculate the maximum damage your unsolicited FAX's could cause and offer it up to the judge? The United States Supreme Court (SCOTUS) freshly ruled that an unaccepted proposal of resolution can no longer invalidate a proposed TCPA class action. This quiet landmark finding is sure to shake up traditional defense strategies heavily dependent on bailing out sloppy phone marketing clients via accepted settlements.
 

How many times will it take B2B's sued under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act to understand: This is not a one-off. This will happen again. More expensively and more often. And the sooner you understand, the sooner you can take advantage of the many call legal protections afforded B2B over B2C callers.

lAt the ACA International's Washington Insights Conference this month, FCC Commissioner Michael O'Rielly made it plain he is driving for more business-friendly reforms to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. Calling for "clear and rational" dictates that enable legitimate businesses to present patrons with the knowledge they require, while opposing practices that create genuine outrage. Let's take a look.

You're a call center. Your customers depend on you. Which includes identifying the biggest compliance troublemakers before dialing on their behalf. The recipients that'll make life miserable. Your clients may be in energy and utility fulfillment, travel and entertainment, customer acquisition or financial services. They might be in healthcare, retail, or communications. They are experts in their respective fields. But they are not experts at staying out of compliance trouble with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. That's your job.