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TCPA Violations

How To Stop Unwanted Phone Calls – Dealing With Robocalls

November 18, 2017 by Consumer Center

how to stop unwanted phone calls

You’re in the middle of making dinner when an unfamiliar number appears on your cell phone. You answer it, thinking that it might be important.  After an unnatural pause, you hear a recorded voice telling you that you can win a free cruise, lower your telephone bill or get your prescriptions cheaper.

Does it feel that your telephone is increasingly flooded with these annoying robocalls? Well, the good news is that you don’t have to put up with them. Federal laws protect consumers from unwanted phone calls. The Telephone Consumer Protection Act, or TCPA, provides consumers with the right to stop receiving unrequested sales and robocalls. TCPA violations could result in fines and penalties, and you might be able to collect anywhere from $500 and $1,500 in TCPA violation penalties for each unwanted telephone call.

In 2016, Shannon Cook sued Wisconsin-based retailer Kohl’s after they placed thousands of robocalls to her phone over a period of two years. These calls were meant for her ex-boyfriend. Ms. Cook asked the retailer to stop calling as she wasn’t the intended recipient. She also asked them to place her on their Do Not Call list. They continued to call in spite of her actions. Ms. Cook filed a lawsuit against the company. Now, it is possible that she could receive up to $1,500 for each call if a jury finds that Kohl’s willfully violated the TCPA.

If you have received harassing phone calls, you might be wondering how to stop unwanted phone calls. Fortunately, it is easy to stop harassment calls by taking the right steps.

How Do I Stop Unwanted Phone Calls?

What if you give a company your cell phone number and permission to call, but no longer want them to call because they are harassing you? You still have the right to revoke that consent at any time and be placed on either the federal regular or robocall Do Not Call List, or the company’s Do Not Call List. If the solicitor continues to call after you have taken this step, then they are violating federal TCPA laws.

If you receive a robocall or automated call on your residential landline phone, you may be able to sue for damages if you did not have a prior business relationship with the caller. So, if you have never done business with the caller or ordered anything from them online, you might be able to sue if they contact your landline without permission.

Despite these laws that were put in place by the federal government to protect consumers,  telemarketers and collectors continue to violate the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

How To Get Help For TCPA Violations

If you want to stop unwanted solicitation and robocalls, then contact an attorney who is well-versed in TCPA laws. This will make the company stop calling at once. Not only that but if the company has willingly violated the law, they might have to pay you compensation. Under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, you might be able to recover $500 for each unwanted phone call. If the caller knowingly or willingly violated the law, the penalties are higher. You can sue for as much as $1,500 for each text or call that was sent without your consent.

The federal legislation is complicated. But, a TCPA lawyer can help you by dealing with debt collectors on your behalf. You can get the calls to stop and get compensation too. Get in contact with a harassing phone calls lawyer today and exercise your rights under the law.

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Filed Under: TCPA Violations

Sue Telemarketers and Debt Collectors for Harassment Phone Calls and Automated Text Messages

September 17, 2017 by Consumer Center

Call For Assistance: (818) 697-4295

Now you can turn the tables on debt collectors and collect $500 – $1500 for every call or text message you receive from Telemarketers and debt collectors!

Most people don’t realize that marketers and debt collection agencies need permission to call a person more than one time.  If you are currently receiving multiple automated telemarketing robocalls or harassing phone calls, you can speak to a TCPA attorney immediately for instructions to turn harassment robocalls into cash. You can turn each harassment calls into cash with awards of $500 minimum per call under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA)!

What is TCPA?

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) says that telemarketers and debt collection agency cannot contact consumers without their consent or permission; this applies to:

  • Cell phones or Mobile phones
  • Text messages or SMS messages
  • Home phones or Household phone lines
  • Fax lines

TCPA also limits telemarketers from calling customers who have signed up with the Do-Not-Call PC registry.

What is a TCPA Violation?

Every time a telemarketer or a debt collection agency makes an automated robocall, pre-recorded message, or text message to consumer cell phones without the permission to contact that person, it is a TCPA violation.

If this happens to you, you might have a case…

  • You received harassment calls at the workplace from debt collectors when you have asked them not to call you.
  • You received collection calls from creditors prior to 8 am or after 9 pm.
  • Debt collectors do not tell you that they are creditors or debt collectors who are attempting to collect a debt.
  • Debt collectors inform people other than your spouse about the debt you owe.
  • You received multiple collection calls from debt collectors every day when you have asked them to stop calling.
  • You received threatening calls from debt collectors that they will file a lawsuit or garnish your wages or take legal action if you do not pay your debts.
  • Creditors or debt collectors try to collect more than the debt amount owed.
  • Creditors or debt collectors request the incorrect individual, calling you by the wrong name.
  • Creditors or debt collectors use intimidation and threats to ruin your credit score.

Examples of TCPA Violations:

  • When debt collection agency calls to let you know that you have not made a payment for a debt that you owe you can simply tell them to stop calling you. Any call after that will be considered a TCPA violation.
  • If you use store credit card to make purchases and fall behind on payments, the store can make a courtesy call to let you know that you have late payments with them. If you tell them not to call you anymore they are required to stop calling. If you continue to receive calls from the store about the late payment, that is a TCPA violation.
  • If your phone rings with a pre-recorded message from an automated dialer; it should also give you an option to speak to a live agent or press a number to stop all calls. You can tell the live agent to stop calling you and hang up. Any calls after from that same company will then be considered a TCPA violation.

Damages and Awards: For TCPA Violations You Can Recover:

  • Up to $500 for each violation of the Do-Not-Call registry
  • Up to $500 per phone call that violates the TCPA, and
  • Up to $1,500 per phone call if the consumer can show that the TCPA was violated knowingly and willfully.

How to Document Evidence for TCPA Violations

Consumers who are receiving harassment calls or robocalls in violation of the TCPA can take a few steps to document the violations.

  • If the TCPA violation is for cell phones, you will need to save your cell phone bills so that it is possible to review all calls from phone logs and your monthly billing statement.
  • You will need to ask for the caller’s name and ID to make a written record of the calls you are receiving. It is important to write down the date of the call, time of the call, caller’s identity, and a summary of any conversations held with the caller.
  • It’s best to save voice messages from auto dialers or telemarketers.
  • If you sign up to the Do Not Call Registry or send a letter to stop receiving calls, please keep a copy of the letter.

Talk to Our Network of Lawyers for FREE!

If you think you have a TCPA case, call us immediately! Our network of TCPA lawyers will help to determine if you have a case at no cost. The consultation is FREE. And if you have a case, a lawyer will file the TCPA case on a contingency basis. That way your Creditors or telemarketer will pay the penalty for calling you and pay attorney’s fees as well.

Consult with our network of TCPA lawyers today by calling (818) 697-4295

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Filed Under: Employment Law, TCPA Violations

Stop Debt Collection Services from Harassing You Immediately

July 22, 2017 by Consumer Center

In tough economic times, many consumers fall behind on bills. All that it takes is one medical emergency or being laid off at work to get off track. If you are late on your auto loan, credit cards, medical bills or mortgage, then you might have to deal with a debt collector. If so, you may be familiar with the harassment and bullying tactics used by debt collection services trying to make a buck.

Well, you are not alone. According to the Federal Trade Commission, there were almost $94 million in judgments against debt collectors in 2015. This number would be multiple times larger if more people took action against debt collectors. Consequently, they miss out on the compensation that they deserve. Most people don’t know their rights to fair debt collection treatment under federal laws. And debt collectors aren’t likely to go out of their way to tell consumers about their rights.

Harassment by Debt Collection Services

Being harassed by debt collectors can seriously impact your life. It might cause you to feel embarrassed, angry or ashamed. Your work, relationships, and health could suffer. Making things even worse are desperate debt collectors that will do anything to get consumers to pay— even if that means resorting to harassment, lies, and threats.

Fortunately, experienced FDCPA lawyers can help you get your life back on track. They can file a lawsuit against the debt collectors for their harassment.

FDCPA Violations

Many people believe that debt collectors have the right to contact them anytime that they want to demand payments. However, that is not true. Consumers have rights too. You do not have to tolerate harassment, mistreatment or lies by debt collectors; they are all part of the FDCPA violations.

There is a debt law that protects consumers from unfair debt collection practices. It is called the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, or FDCPA. This law consists of a set of rules that debt collectors have to follow when it comes to the methods that they use to collect a debt. Types of debt that are subject to FDCPA rules include medical bills, auto loans, credit card bills, mortgage debt and more.

Debt Collection Laws

The Federal Trade Commission has set forth a set of debt collection guidelines that creditors must follow in the process of collecting a debt. When attempting to collect a debt, the collector is required to:

  • Identify themselves as a debt collector.
  • Provide you with the name of the creditor that you owe the debt to and let you know how much you owe.
  • Contact you at times when it is convenient to you.
  • Stop communicating with you directly if you have a lawyer.

A debt collector cannot:

  • Threaten you with arrest if you say that you cannot pay.
  • Attempt to collect a debt that you do not owe.
  • Threaten to sue you if they do not intend on doing so.
  • Call you after you have told them to stop.
  • Threaten to post negative things on your credit report unless they plan to follow through.
  • Demean you.
  • Lie to you.
  • Tell other people about the debt that you owe—there are a few exceptions to this rule. They can talk to your spouse, lawyer or parents if you are under the age of 18.
  • Use obscene language or call you names.
  • Call you without identifying themselves as a bill collector.
  • Tell you that they are a government or law enforcement agent.
  • Attempt to collect a debt that has been discharged in bankruptcy.

This is not a complete list of things that debt collectors are not allowed to do under the FDCPA. There are a variety of abusive debt collection practices, and it is not uncommon for someone to be the victim of an unethical debt collector.

To make debt collectors stop harassing you, you need an experienced FDCPA lawyer on your side. Don’t be afraid to protect yourself against debt collectors and exercise your rights in a court of law. If you have been the victim of unfair by debt collectors, then you might be entitled to compensation.

Here are some of the benefits of suing debt collectors:

  • You might be able to collect damages for lost wages, emotional and physical distress.
  • If you can prove that FDCPA violations were committed, you could be eligible for up to $1,000 in damages.
  • In most cases, there are no out-of-pocket expenses to the debtor. If the court finds that the debt collector violated federal law, the collector will typically have to pay all lawyer’s fees and court costs—including those for the debtor.

Get Your Free Consultation with an FDCPA Lawyer Today!

The fact that you owe money does not give debt collectors the right to harass you. At Consumer Center for Resources, we believe that consumers have the right to fair debt collection.

We have the resources, experience and the ability to help you assert your rights to fair treatment. Reach out to us at (818) 697-4295 to be connected with an experienced lawyer today!

The consultation is free!

Filed Under: TCPA Violations Tagged With: debt collection services, fdcpa lawyer, fdcpa violations

Learn How to Stop Robocalls… for Good!

June 23, 2017 by Consumer Center

Call For FREE Legal Advice: (818) 697-4295

This is a guest blog post featured by one of our member law firms – Consumer Action Law Group in California (also appears on their site)

Breaking News: Miami Man Fined a Record $120 Million for Making Robocalls

On June 22nd, the Federal Communications Committee (FCC) proposed a $120 million fine against Miami marketer, Adrian Abramovich, for allegedly making 96 million spoofed robocalls in a three month period.  Abramovich broke numerous laws, including the Truth in Caller ID Act.  In this article, you will learn how to stop robocalls in light of this historic infringement.

The sheer number of spoofed robocalls made warrants a resounding gong and a red flag.  Spoofed calls are essentially having the ability to use a recipient’s first three numbers in a phone number to simulate a call from a local person. Spoofed robocalls work really well because recipients think they’re receiving an important call from someone close to their geographical area, hence picking up the phone. The practice of disguising caller IDs to hide true identity is an issue that the FCC has addressed in their rules and regulations, which is the reason for the lawsuit brought against Abramovich.

The FCC also cited Abramovich for violating the Telephone Consumer Protection Act’s robocall limits and the federal wire fraud statute.

Ongoing Issues with Robocalls

One of the main problems with robocalling is that consumers do not know how to stop or prevent these types of calls from happening.  This poses a problem because of the lack of perceived control on the recipient’s part.  Other problems include:

  1. An ineffective “unsubscribe” feature
  2. Lack of resources to make them stop
  3. Skilled sales professionals

1. Unsubscribe Doesn’t Often Work

Consumers try to opt out of future calls by pressing ‘2’ to unsubscribe during the call.  However, many of these sophisticated marketers deploy tools that intentionally do not unsubscribe people.  Abramovich’s technology and practice did not grant the recipient’s request to unsubscribe, Abramovich and his group of automated dialers, robo messages kept calling.

2. Too Much Work to Investigate and Report

Some people would try to stop robocalls on their own but would eventually be overwhelmed by the amount of effort that is required. When many people try a solution and it fails, they get stuck and become frustrated and often give up trying to stop the unwanted calls.

3. Effective Sales Professionals

Many offers are legitimate and attractive, while others are false advertisements designed to lure in consumers. Some sales professionals are well-oiled machines trained to persuade consumers into purchasing their products. So, how do you determine if the calls are valid?

Robocalls versus Telemarketers

Dealing with robocalls can be tricky, however, it is also important to know how to deal with telemarketers and telemarketing scams.

Here are some ways to identify between the two.

  1. Robocalls are automated pre-recorded messages
  2. Telemarketers are live agents

Once distinction to keep in mind is that some companies use robo messages to begin the promptings in order to get the recipient to respond, upon which the recipient is then transferred to a live agent, at which the sales pitch takes place.

Be mindful of these sayings as they typically indicate a “telemarketing” approach:

  • You have been specially selected for (an offer)
  • Get a bonus for free for purchasing our product
  • You need to make your decision right now
  • You’ve won a foreign lottery!

If you hear any of these lines or anything similar to it, say ‘no, thank you’ and hang up immediately.

Hook, Line, and Sinker

Some telemarketing scams use certain tactics to hook consumers into a deeper conversation which eventually lead up to consumers purchasing products.

These tactics should be seen with caution:

  • Hidden Costs – If an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Some free or low-cost travel packages have hidden fees that you won’t find out about until you have to pay for them.
  • Charity or Donation – This strategy plays on the emotions of consumers. Be careful when the ‘fundraiser’ refuses to tell you any information about themselves, such as their name, identity, and mission.
  • Free Trials – Some free trial offers bill consumers monthly even after the trial ends until they cancel the membership. Others have hidden costs, such as delivery fees, that are not revealed to you over the phone. No free trials remain free forever.
  • Credit and Loans Scheme – Any pitch about lowering credit card interest rate or protecting your credit card is especially popular during recessions.

Always make sure the offers are legitimate before purchasing them. You can always search online first or ask the caller to provide information.

Be careful when answering to a robocall. If you press ‘1’ to talk to a representative, hoping to ask them not to call you again, they will more than likely call again, simply because you actually responded to their previous call. It is better to just hang up as soon as you realize it’s an automated call.

5 Specific Ways on How to Stop Robocalls

1. Add Your Phone Number to the FTC’s “Do Not Call List” Registry

The first thing you should do to protect your phone number from receiving countless irrelevant calls is to add your number to the FTC consumer protection “Do Not Call List” registry.  While this may not prohibit all phone calls, it will ensure that your number is officially entered into the FTC database.

Here are two ways to add your phone number:

  • Option 1:  Register for FREE – visit here to register https://www.donotcall.gov
  • Option 2:  Call this line from the phone number you want to add to the “do not call list” – 1-888-382-1222

2. Manually Add Phone Numbers into Your Internal “block” List

All smartphones have an option that will allow you to add phone numbers to a block list.  Once entered into this list, the phone will do just that – block the numbers on that link.  The benefit to doing this is that you’ll be able to track your calls directly and then reference it at a future date, should you decide to file a lawsuit against one of the robocalling telemarketers (i.e. the recent FCC case against a Miami native).

The ability to add numbers to your block list should be in the “settings” section of your phone.

3. Don’t Answer Unrecognized Phone Numbers

This might sound simple and obvious, but many people fall into the sales trap of these robocalls because they answer the phone.

Here’s something to keep in mind:

Robocalls are marketing calls leading into the sales cycle. This means that there is a sophisticated marketing and sales process on the other side of these calls.  Marketing and sales people are savvy, trained, highly skilled, and prepared for any and all phone calls.

If you don’t answer the calls, you won’t have to go through the dog and pony sales pitch they’ll put you through.  And these professionals are quite convincing.

Spare yourself the trouble and do NOT pick up.

4.  Use Smartphone Apps to Block Robocalls

Smartphones are a great repository of useful and effective apps.  There seems to be an application for any and all occasions, from birthday songs to traffic light changing apps (which is primarily a game, I don’t believe it is possible to change traffic lights in general).

In this case, there is a host of apps that claim to block robocalls.

These are three applications that are quite intriguing and stand out from the crowd.

  • Nomboro – https://goo.gl/PXKxmy

Bradley Chambers of thesweetsetup.com has this to say about Nomboro.

“Nomorobo’s call list is another key strength. It has over 51,000 numbers, and they claimed to have stopped over 150 million calls. They were a winner in the 2013 FTC robocall challenge. The list is constantly updated, and it can update without having to launch the app.”

  • Callblock – https://goo.gl/m7WkW8

Callblock touts “the world’s biggest directory of telemarketers – now over 3,000,000 classified entries from over 100 countries!”

  • Robokiller – https://goo.gl/C9u9bM

As described on their site:

“RoboKiller reduces unwanted calls by up to 85% in 30 days! Robokiller is just $1.99 per month with a free 7-day trial; opt-out at any time during the trial and you aren’t charged a penny.”

5. Bring in the Experts

Often times, technology can help to resolve issues.  However, when you reach a point where technology has taken you as far as it can, you may want to consider speaking with experts who can help to stop these calls from flooding your phone.

Experienced attorneys are the people you want to get in touch with.

Here at Consumer Action Law Group, we are experienced in suing telemarketers and companies that deploy automation machines for robocalls.  Our goal is to give consumer clients peace of mind knowing that these calls with cease, and when necessary, fight for our clients to receive compensation for their troubles.

Our process is simple:

  1. Contact Us
  2. Get Scheduled for a FREE Consultation with an Attorney
  3. Take Action (if/when necessary)

If you are subject to these endless robocalls, we urge you to get in contact with us by calling:

(818) 697-4295

Or fill in the form on our website:

https://consumeractionlawgroup.com/tcpa/

Filed Under: TCPA Violations

TCPA Violations – They Happen More Often Than You Think

September 1, 2016 by Consumer Center

Call For FREE Legal Advice: (818) 697-4295

Are you getting frequent nuisance calls from a telemarketer or collectors? You have a right to go about your day without being harassed by unwelcome callers. What many people don’t realize is that there is a law in place that protects consumers from telemarketing calls. It is called the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, or TCPA.

What Does the TCPA Do?

The TCPA prohibits telemarketers and collectors from making unwanted calls to your phone. If they violate this law, they could be slapped with fines of up to $1,500 for every unsolicited call or text that they make.

Here are some typical examples of TCPA violations:

  • Using a robocaller – Marketers and collectors are not allowed to use artificial or recorded calls unless they receive written permission first.
  • Calling you after you request to be on a do-not-call list – If you are on the national do-not-call registry or the company’s internal do-not-call-list, they are not allowed to call you.
  • Calling you late at night – Collectors and telemarketers are not allowed to call you before 7 AM or after 9 PM.

These are just a few examples of common TCPA violations. If a telemarketer or collector violates the TCPA, contact a lawyer right away to discuss your case. You might be able to:

  • Recover compensation for the violation of your rights
  • Hold the marketer or collector responsible for knowingly violating the TCPA
  • Relieve the pressure and embarrassment of receiving constant marketing or collector calls

What is the Telephone Consumer Protection Act?

Enacted by Congress in 1991 to prevent a growing amount of harassment from marketers, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act restricts the use of prerecorded messages and automatic dialing systems. In 1992, the law was updated to include the requirement that telephone solicitors institute procedures for maintaining do-not-call-lists so that consumers can opt out of telephone solicitations.

In 2012, the federal government revised the TCPA to give even more protection to consumers. Now, telemarketers must have written prior authorization to call a consumer using an automated robotic system or robocaller. They are no longer allowed to call without your written consent— even if you have done business with them before. Also, telemarketers must provide an interactive, automated opt-out feature during each robocall. This feature allows you to put an end to robocalls immediately.

The following types of calls are regulated by the TCPA:

  • Pre-recorded messages
  • Robocalls
  • Phone calls
  • Auto-dialers
  • Faxes
  • Text messages

Telemarketers must follow these rules to stay compliant with the TCPA:

  • They cannot call or text your cell phone without your prior consent.
  • They can’t place robocalls or automated calls or texts to your phone after you have told them to stop.
  • They must stop calling you if you ask them to place you on their do-not-call list.

If you are being harassed by marketers or collectors, take the following actions to get the harassment to end:

  • Keep a record of every single call. Note the date and time that the calls were made.
  • Contact a TCPA attorney.

If you have received unwanted solicitation calls, you’re probably wondering how to sue telemarketers. Fortunately, it is very straightforward to hold the telemarketers responsible for violating the TCPA—and to get cash doing so. You can get paid for every telephone call or text message that violates the TCPA.

The first step in getting paid by telemarketers is to discuss your potential TCPA violation claim with a TCPA lawyer. It does not cost anything out of pocket to sue a telemarketer or collector for TCPA violations. All of your legal fees are paid for by the company or person making the calls.

Unwanted Telephone Calls 

You might be wondering how to stop robocalls and unwanted telephone calls if you are getting harassed day and night by them. Fortunately, it is easy to put an end to these calls. You might be able to even sue telemarketers for violating the TCPA. You will need the legal expertise of a TCPA lawyer to stop them with ease.

You are also eligible for compensation of $500 to $1500 for every telephone call that you get that violates the TCPA.

Talk to a TCPA Lawyer to Discuss Best Options

The Consumer Center for Resources can connect you with an experienced attorney who can stand up for your rights and help you seek compensation for the damages that you have incurred as a result of the harassment.

Filed Under: TCPA Violations Tagged With: tcpa lawyer, tcpa violations, unwanted telephone calls

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