What should you know about telemarketing fraud?

Telemarketing fraud is an ongoing problem today that affects far too many people. In an attempt to deal with this issue, Florida laws crack down on telemarketing fraud very heavily.

It is important to understand these laws at their basics, as well as the potential penalties that people may face for engaging in telemarketing fraud.

Defining telemarketing fraud

Florida Department of Agricultural and Consumer Services discusses telemarketing fraud. First, what is it? This is a type of fraud that utilizes the phone as a core component of communicating with potential fraud victims. The goal of these schemes is often to collect bank or credit card information from people.

Common fraud scenarios include vehicle warranties, timeshares, sweepstakes or prizes, and credit repair services.

Florida allows people to place their numbers on a Do Not Call registry, which holds those numbers for up to 5 years at a time.

Laws for telemarketing

It also requires anyone who wishes to act as a telemarketer to obtain a license first. The application includes information relevant to the applicant’s identity, like pending civil or criminal actions, criminal history, and previous experience. Businesses looking for telemarketers also need to post a bond.

Under law, telemarketers cannot legally call before 8 AM or after 8 PM. They cannot spoof the number they are calling from, and they also cannot call more than 3 times in a 24-hour period.

Potential penalties

Telemarketing for unlicensed businesses is a third-degree felony carrying a potential fine of $5,000 and up to 5 years in prison. Telemarketing fraud is also a Class III civil penalty with a fine of up to $10,000. In other words, a person could face some serious financial troubles and jail time for these crimes.