Many people have wondered how to stop annoying telemarketing calls, and the reality is you might be able to not only stop the calls, but collect money. The Telephone Consumer Protection Act, or TCPA, allows individuals to file lawsuits and collect damages for receiving unsolicited telemarketing calls, pre-recorded calls or autodialed calls.
1. Find Out Who Is Calling You
The first step in putting an end to the telemarketing calls is finding out where they are originating. This can sometimes be difficult, as various numbers are used to mask the identity of the business behind the calls. Reverse phone search on the internet is one way to find out. Another way is to take the call and select the options that eventually get you to a live person, who may be able to tell you more about the business.
2. Make Sure That You Withdraw Any Prior Written Consent
In some cases, the telemarketers may have your number from an online contest or survey, where you agreed to receive calls. If such is the case, ask the company to remove you from the list and email the company requesting to be removed. If you are receiving text messages, you can reply with a “stop” message.
3. Consider a TCPA Lawsuit.
You may have a TCPA claim, and many attorneys can represent you in these types of cases quickly and cheaply. Damages, which is the money you can potentially collect, can range from $500 to $1500 per call.
4. What types of Claims Qualify for a TCPA Lawsuit?
An autodialer is an automatic telephone dialing system that can produce, store and call numbers using a random or sequential number generator. A robocall uses an autodialer to deliver a pre-recorded message. Regardless of whether you have been a customer or client of a business, calls made with an autodialer violate the TCPA, unless you have provided unambiguous written consent to receive these calls.
For more information about the TCPA, go to 47 U.S.C. §§ 227 et seq. If you are in need of legal advice about a potential TCPA lawsuit, please contact David Knecht at DavidKnecthlaw.com.
