FCC Proposes $780,000 Fine In Do-Not-Call Violation
Agency Says AT&T Violated Rules
POSTED: 2:27 p.m. EST November 3, 2003
UPDATED: 4:04 p.m. EST November 3, 2003
WASHINGTON -- Federal regulators are proposing the first major penalty for a violation of the do-not-call list for telemarketers.
The Federal Communications Commission accuses AT&T of making 78 phone calls to 29 consumers who asked telemarketers to leave them alone. The proposed fine would cost the company
$10,000 for each call -- for a total of $780,000.
FCC Chairman Michael Powell said the enforcement action demonstrates the government's resolve in "the fight to protect consumers from unwanted and intrusive telephone calls."
In a statement, AT&T says it puts "a very high priority on respecting do-not-call
requests."
The company says the charges are not based on the do-not-call list that went into effect this fall, but that they come from customers who thought they were on the company's own do-not-call list and received "a call they think was from AT&T."
The fine is based on alleged violations of rules requiring companies to keep their own lists of people who refuse calls.
More than 53 million numbers have been registered with the government's do-not-call list, which took effect Oct. 1.
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Previous Stories:
- October 16, 2003: Telemarketers Exploit Do-Not-Call Loopholes
- October 8, 2003: Do-Not-Call List Accepting New Phone Numbers
- October 7, 2003: Do-Not-Call List Gets OK To Proceed
Copyright 2003 by clickorlando.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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