New Fuschillo Law Strengthens Do Not Call Registry

New Yorkers will soon be receiving greater protections from telemarketers, due to a new law sponsored by Senator Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr. (8th Senate District). The new law will amend New York State’s "Do Not Call" Registry by eliminating certain exemptions.

"The ‘Do Not Call’ Registry has been extremely effective in affording consumers protections from unwanted telemarketing phone calls, and thanks to these new amendments, it will be even more useful," stated Senator Fuschillo, who is Chairman of the Senate’s Consumer Protection Committee and the original sponsor of the "Do Not Call" Registry in New York.

This new law will eliminate an exemption that allowed telemarketers to make unsolicited calls asking consumers who were already registered on the "Do Not Call" Registry for a "face-to-face" meeting or sales presentation to discuss an offer. In addition, businesses will no longer be allowed to make telemarketing calls to consumers with whom they have an established business relationship if those customers have asked not to receive them.

The new provisions make the State "Do Not Call" Registry more consistent with the federal government’s nationwide "Do Not Call" program, allowing for better enforcement by the New York State Consumer Protection Board. The federal registry prohibits businesses from calling customers who have already stated that they do not wish to receive calls from or on behalf of that seller, and there is no federal exemption for callers requesting face-to-face meetings.

"This will clearly define what is and what is not acceptable under the guidelines of the New York State registry and enable the consumer to better protect their privacy. This new law will provide consistency between state and federal law, helping to eliminate confusion over the rights afforded to consumers," concluded Senator Fuschillo.

Over 4 million phone numbers have been registered with the New York State "Do Not Call" Registry since its inception in 2000, and the Consumer Protection Board has collected over one million dollars in fines. To register your phone number, please visit www.donotcall.gov or call 1-888-382-1222.

If you are already on the Registry and would like to file a complaint regarding a telemarketer, you can call the New York State Consumer Protection Board at 1-800-697-1220. You can also file a complaint by visiting their website at www.consumer.state.ny.us and clicking on the "Do Not Call" link.

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