Florida Consumer E-Newsletter
May 2012
Subscribe to the Florida Do Not Call list
Now Free of Charge!
Unwanted sales calls can be annoying and intrusive. Fortunately, Floridians can avoid these disturbances by subscribing to the Florida Do Not Call List, a program maintained by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. During the 2012 Legislative Session, Commissioner Adam Putnam worked with legislators to eliminate the subscription fee. Florida residents can now place their residential or cell phone number or paging device on the list at no charge.
The Florida Do Not Call List is updated quarterly, published on the first business day of January, April, July and October, and is then made available to telemarketers throughout the country. Most commercial telemarketers are prohibited by law from calling any number on the list for the purpose of inducing a person to invest in consumer goods or services.
There are exemptions
Solicitors may make calls when:
- a prior or existing business relationship exists
- in response to an express request of the person called
- in connection with an existing debt or contract
- a real estate agent responds to a yard sign or other advertisement
Charitable organizations, political candidates, research or survey companies seeking an opinion and collection agencies attempting to collect on a debt are also allowed to call subscribers because their calls are not considered a “commercial telephone solicitation,” as defined by Florida law.
Reporting violations is critical to the success of the program
The reporting process is quick and easy and can be completed online. If you are on the list and receive a call that does not meet the exemptions outlined above, attempt to obtain as much information as possible from the caller , such as the name of the person making the call, the company calling, the telephone number of the company, the date and time of the call and what product or service they were offering. Immediately report the call to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services at 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352) or file a complaint online.
Florida law also prohibits prerecorded messages. In general, a commercial telephone solicitation made with a prerecorded message and without a “live” person to introduce that message is a violation. It is also a violation for companies to make telephone sales calls before 8:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m. local time or refuse to provide the solicitor's name or telephone number to the party called. The most frequent violations of the Do Not Call law occur because a solicitor failed to identify his or her true first and last name and the business on whose behalf he or she is soliciting immediately upon making contact.
For more information about the Florida Do Not Call List or to become a subscriber, complete the online form or call 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352) or 1-800-FL-AYUDA (352-9832) en Español.
