Assemblyman Bill Reilich (R,C,I-Greece) today announced his support for legislation that would strengthen New York’s Do Not Call Law by prohibiting "face-to-face" meeting calls.
"More than 350,000 Rochester-area residents have benefited from New York’s Do Not Call regulations," Reilich said. "Strengthening this law would provide even more protection for all New Yorkers."
"These face-to-face meeting calls have been the source of the most consumer complaints since the telemarketing registry began four years ago," said Teresa A. Santiago, chair and executive director of the state Consumer Protection Board, the administrative agency overseeing the Do Not Call Law for New York.
The proposed legislation would ban telemarketers from calling consumers to schedule an appointment for a face-to-face sales presentation, a method not prohibited under the current law.
If the legislation becomes law, the only sales calls – or telemarketing calls – that would be allowed are those from company representatives to current customers, defined as individuals who have conducted business with the companies in the past 18 months. The law still would allow current customers to stop future calls by asking the company representatives to not call again.
Fines for violations of the proposed law would remain the same as with other forbidden telemarketing calls: up to $11,000 per violation. The state has collected more than $1.1 million in fines and settlements with telemarketers found violating the law since the provision went into effect April 1, 2001.
New Yorkers can register for the Do Not Call Registry free of charge by calling toll-free (888) 382-1222, or by visiting www.nysconsumer.gov.