The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced a monetary forfeiture of nearly $3 million against a Florida direct marketing company and its affiliates for making illegal, computer-generated phone call (“robocalls”) to consumers.
According to a Forfeiture Order issued in August 2015, Travel Club Marketing, Inc., its related companies and its owner Olen Miller have been fined $2.96 million for making or initiating at least 185 robocalls to the residential phone lines and cellphones of over 142 consumers who had not given prior permission for such calls. In fact, in many cases, the consumers contacted by Travel Club had placed their phone numbers on the National Do-Not-Call Registry.
Under the Federal Communications Act and FCC rules, companies must either have an established business relationship or prior express consent from the recipient for any robocalls made to residential phone lines, and prior express consent for any robocalls made to cellphones.
According to a press release issued by the FCC, the forfeiture order against Travel Club is the largest ever issued by the Commission for violations of its rules against robocalls.
Read the complete text of the Commission’s Forfeiture Order against Travel Club.
Photo by frankieleon