What to Do If You Receive Silent Voicemail From Telemarketers
[UPDATED] Thanks to opposition from human rights groups, a petition to free voice messages without ringing from robotic calling rules has been withdrawn. This means that for now, these annoying messages are subject to the same rules as regular telemarketing calls under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.
Lately I have been receiving random voicemail messages from telemarketers on my phone. I removed them without much hesitation, assuming my phone was not ringing due to some kind of coverage issue. It turns out this could be a completely different way for telemarketers to harass you.
New technology allows telemarketers to leave voicemail messages without ringing, and this method is gaining traction. While there are laws governing consumer calling , some groups argue that ringing voicemail should not be counted. The New York Times reports :
They have heard from voicemail providers and professional groups that these messages should not qualify as calls and therefore should be removed from consumer protection laws that prohibit similar types of telephone marketing.
It’s not hard to see how this can be problematic:
But consumer advocates, technology experts, people inundated with these appeals, and lawyers representing them say such an exemption will open the floodgates. Consumers’ voicemail boxes will be jammed with automatic messages, they said, making it difficult to receive important calls, whether from a mother’s nursing home or children’s school.
If they are not covered by consumer protection laws, it is reasonable to expect that these marketers might not have to comply with a Do Not Call list either. If you are a telemarketer, why call at all? It seems like the perfect way to get around all the rules that initially prevent these companies from bothering customers.
After receiving a petition from a voicemail service provider, the FTC began collecting public comment on the matter. So what can you do about it? First, you can go here to post your public comment, and if you receive these voicemails, you can file a complaint with the FCC here .