The days of annoying telemarketing practices should be long gone, given the passage of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). This legislation is designed to protect you from the harassment and robo-calling that used to be standard practice for telemarketers. Unfortunately, companies still violate the law, calling people more often than they should, calling at strange and inconvenient hours, calling numbers registered on the Do Not Call list, and using automated dialing systems to make illegal “robo-calls.”
If any of those scenarios sound familiar, you might be able to seek compensation through a TCPA lawsuit. Finding a TCPA lawyer often seems like a difficult process, and it can be. However, Sue the Collector makes it simple. Get in touch with us today, let us know about the details of your potential case, and we will set up a FREE initial consultation to learn more about how we can help you seek justice.
You don’t have to simply suffer through illegal and unethical harassment techniques by telemarketers, debt collectors, and others. Fill out the form on our contact page to get started on your path to compensation. You can also call our office at (866) 768-6005 to schedule your free consultation.
How to Know When Your TCPA Rights Are Violated
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act spells out specific actions that are prohibited for telemarketers. They CANNOT:
- Call before 8:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m.
- Call numbers that are registered on the national Do Not Call Registry
- Continue calling you after you have opted out of calls from that specific vendor
- Autodial, “robo-call,” or use pre-recorded audio on calls to your cell phone
Telemarketers are also required to provide, upon request, their name, the identity of the organization or business they represent, and contact information of that business. If you have experienced any of the prohibited actions above, you may have a case for compensation.
Robo-Calls
The TCPA has some provisions for landlines and fax machines, but the reality is that most people nowadays primarily use their cell phones. For cell phone calls, telemarketers are forbidden from using the robo-call technique. Below are a few ways to tell that you have been autodialed or robo-called:
- There is no one on the other line, and the only sounds are silence and/or electronic clicking noises.
- You receive several calls per day from the same unsolicited number (a clear sign of autodialing).
- When you answer the phone, a robotic voice or pre-recorded message plays.
Automatic dialing and robo-calls are illegal in many telemarketing situations. However, there are several legal uses for autodialing, including calls from charitable organizations, public survey organizations, and political groups. Speak with an experienced TCPA lawyer from Sue the Collector today to help understand whether or not you have a legitimate case for compensation.
Other Important Legislation
While debt collectors may not be prosecutable under the TCPA in your situation, you might still be able to seek justice for unethical, illegal, and harassing behaviors. Separate legislation, called the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), dictates how debt collectors and agencies are supposed to go about their business. Just because you have a debt, that does not mean you should be subject to repeated harassment and constant inconveniences to your schedule.
Some of the activities prohibited by the FDCPA include:
- Calling anytime other than between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.
- Lying or providing misleading information about your debt
- Threatening you with physical, verbal, or emotional abuse
- Using inappropriate language (such as vulgarities, racial slurs, curse words, etc.)
- Adding unreasonable fees to your debt
- Calling you at work when your job does not allow personal phone calls
Just like telemarketers with the TCPA, old habits seem to die hard for debt collectors. Even today, there are still many cases of FDCPA violations that deserve compensation and justice. At Sue the Collector, we have helped clients get compensation in the following amounts:
- Up to $1,000 for harassment
- Up to $1,500 for each illegally-made robo-call
Find a TCPA Lawyer Today
A TCPA lawyer is just a click away. All you have to do is fill in the easy-to-use form on our contact page and Sue the Collector’s team will be in touch with you as soon as possible. You can also call us at (866) 768-6005.
Sue the Collector provides potential clients with a FREE consultation to discuss the possibility of seeking compensation. We want to know more about your case, the abuse you’ve suffered, and how we can help. Together, we can ensure that your rights under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act are protected and you are reimbursed for any violations that have occurred.
