Inconvenient and unsolicited calls are one thing, but depending on the hour of the day and the type of calling device, some calls may actually violate a few basic rules set forth by the FCC and FTC that telemarketers must follow. Being aware of standard telemarketing activities and applicable restrictions can help you avoid unnecessary harassment.
While you cannot stop all telemarketers and other annoying callers, there are some general hours-including late night and pre-dawn-that it is extremely rare to receive an unsolicited call. This does not mean, however, that all telemarketers must meet the same restrictions. Automatic Dialing Devices may not be used after 9:30 at night on the weekdays, and 6:00 PM on the weekends. Calling hours begin at 9:00 in the morning on weekdays, and 10:00 on weekends. Most telemarketing and other annoying unsolicited calls are generated by such a device, so, at very least, the number of telemarketing calls should drop off dramatically in the late evening.
Live voice calls are not restricted, however, to certain calling hours, but the good news is that this type of call is one made by a human manually calling a list of numbers, and they are very rarely unsolicited. If you do receive such a call, make sure that you have had no previous dealings with the company that would have granted permission to access personal information. Even companies that make live voice calls are required to keep a Do Not Call list, so you can simply ask that you not be bothered again. If you do ask to removed from a calling list, stay on the line long enough to receive the federally mandated registration number. The internet can provide some great resources for those attempting to find out more about telemarketers that use live voice calls and other such restriction exemptions. Reverse phone lookups can provide the name of a company, and internet forums like Call Complaint allows users to blacklist particularly annoying telemarketers.
While you cannot stop telemarketing and annoying calls completely, being aware of the rules and your rights can help reduce the frequency of unsolicited calls.
