|
|
|
Summary of Subjects
Involved in Recent Enforcement Actions
The Division is very active in a variety of areas that impact consumers
daily. Listed below are some of the significant areas where we have
taken
action to protect you.
Marketing:
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Federal Trade Commission
(FTC) issued a
joint Policy Statement
to protect consumers from unfair and
deceptive advertising and marketing of long distance services,
including
dial-around services -- often called "10-10" numbers. The Policy Statement
offers guidance to carriers to ensure their advertising is truthful,
complete
and non-misleading. Additionally, it describes the kind of factors the FCC
will consider in determining whether to bring enforcement action against
carriers for deceptive advertising practices.
You may review the actual wording of the statement in
Microsoft Word
or
Text
formats.
Actions Taken
Slamming:
Slamming is the practice of switching consumers' preferred telephone
carrier without their consent. Slamming generates a large volume of
complaints to the Commission annually.
The
Commission has proposed a series of forfeitures against companies for
slamming.
Actions Taken
Unsolicited Facsimiles:
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) which is contained in section
227
of the Communications Act limits unsolicited advertisements that use
automatic
telephone dialing systems, artificial (computerized) or prerecorded voice
messages, and fax machines. The TCPA also directed the Commission to adopt
regulations to protect residential telephone subscribers' privacy rights to
avoid receiving other unwanted telephone solicitations. The FCC's
telemarketing
rules implementing the TCPA took effect December 20, 1992. The Commission
has
received a consistent flow of letters from consumers involving telemarketing
practices subject to the TCPA; over 90% of those letters pertained to
unsolicited faxes. The Commission therefore, is intensifying its enforcement
and consumer education efforts to ensure that consumers are protected from
intrusive and illegal telemarketing practices.
Actions Taken
|
|
FCC
>
EB
>
TCD
>
Subjects
