At one time it was considered impolite to call a person multiple times in a row or at certain times of the day, like during the dinner hour. Now, one of the most frequent complaints the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) receives is about unwanted calls and texts that consumers receive day and night.
Unwanted contact
The FCC advises consumers to avoid answering calls from unknown numbers. If a consumer answers the call, he or she should not provide personal information to the caller. This may include account numbers, social security numbers, passwords or other identifying information.
Consumers should also be wary of calls or texts that state they are from a company or a government agency. The consumer can contact the company or agency directly to verify that the request for information is legitimate.
North Carolina restrictions
In North Carolina, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act places several restrictions on calls from solicitors. They are prohibited from calling before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. and they cannot use threats, intimidation and profane or obscene language.
They must also comply with “Do Not Call” list requirements which lists the information for consumers who do not want to be contacted by solicitors.
They can face a $500 penalty for the first violation, $1,000 for the second violation and $5,000 for the third violation and any others that occur within two years of the first violation.
If a person is subjected to repeated or harassing calls or texts, it can be intimidating to address. However, an experienced consumer law attorney can help stop this contact and pursue compensation on behalf of the affected person.