What is the Do-Not-Call Registry and how did it come about?
In December of 2002, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) finalized amendments to the Telemarketing Sales Rule (“TSR”). Key among the changes was the development of a national “Do-Not-Call” registry directed at stopping most unwanted interstate telemarketing calls to consumers. The new FTC rules provide consumers with the ability to place their telephone number on the registry. Telemarketers will be prohibited from calling anyone whose name is on the registry unless they meet certain criteria. In a separate but similar effort, on June 26, 2003, the FCC announced final amendments to its telemarketing rules that would, among other things, prohibit intrastate calls to any person on the National Do-Not-Call registry, in addition to the prohibition against interstate calls established under the FTC rule. This is a significant change and as a result, all real estate professionals making interstate as well as intrastate calls must comply with the requirements of the National Do-Not-Call regis
