Best report
ϟ
Oct 21, 2016
You might ask if they like paying another penalty. However, the number of calls and monies received are staggering.
HUFPOLLSTER: FTC Hits Back Against Illegal Scam Survey Calls
03/05/2015 08:43 am ET | Updated Mar 05, 2015
FTC & STATES ACT AGAINST FRAUDULENT POLITICAL SURVEY ROBOCALLS- Jeff Gelles: “That political survey robocall? Agree to answer the questions, and you just might end up with something beyond insight into what’s on politicians’ minds. Some consumers instead discovered in that a ‘survey’ was a thinly veiled pitch for a Bahamas cruise, according to an enforcement action announced today by the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC and 10 states took action against a Florida cruise company and seven affiliates that federal officials said engaged in ‘a massive telemarketing campaign resulting in billions of robocalls’ in 2011 and 2012. The survey-call ruse was designed because, as savvy consumers know, political surveys are among the exceptions to the federal Do Not Call list. The FTC says the companies made millions of dollars from the scheme, and have agreed to pay $500,000 in penalties in a settlement. The FTC says the scheme, which averaged 12 to 15 million illegal sales calls a day, used the surveys as a cover.” [Philadelphia Inquirer]
How it worked - From the FTC complaint: “Consumers who answered the Cruise Call Telemarketers’ robocalls heard the following prerecorded message, or a nearly identical version:
Hello, this is John from Political Opinions of America. You’ve been carefully selected to participate in a short 30 second research survey and for participating you’ll receive a free two day cruise for two people to the Bahamas, courtesy of one of our supporters. Gratuities and a small port tax will apply. To begin the survey, please press 1 now. To decline the survey and be removed from our list, press 9. Thank you.
The Cruise Call Telemarketers’ prerecorded call then asked consumers several automated political survey questions. After completing the survey questions, consumers heard a recording stating that they were entitled to ‘a free cruise to the Bahamas’ as a reward for taking the survey. Consumers were then instructed to press 1 if they were interested in receiving the ‘free’ cruise. The telemarketer would inform consumers that the ‘free’ cruise would cost $59 per person in port taxes and attempt to sell them pre-boarding hotels, cruise excursions, enhanced accommodations, and other travel packages.” [FTC via Philadelphia Inquirer]
Why the calls were illegal - Background from Fox News, as reported in 2012: “[According to Frank Dorman, a spokesman for the FTC], ‘Businesses have to get your written permission before they can legally send you pre-recorded messages, even if your number is on the National Do Not Call Registry, and even if they have an established business relationship with you...If you get a robocall from a company that hasn’t gotten your written permission first, it’s a scam, since no legal business wants to break the law and risk having to pay penalties of up to $16,000 per call.’ Meanwhile, FTC officials said to remember that if the purpose of the call is to sell something, its telemarketing and all rules apply. Simply adding a few questions about unrelated topics such as politics or weather does not constitute a bona fide survey. At least two similar ‘sham survey’ ruses have resulted in enforcement actions against companies for such illegal calls.” [Fox News]
HUFPOLLSTER: FTC Hits Back Against Illegal Scam Survey Calls
03/05/2015 08:43 am ET | Updated Mar 05, 2015
FTC & STATES ACT AGAINST FRAUDULENT POLITICAL SURVEY ROBOCALLS- Jeff Gelles: “That political survey robocall? Agree to answer the questions, and you just might end up with something beyond insight into what’s on politicians’ minds. Some consumers instead discovered in that a ‘survey’ was a thinly veiled pitch for a Bahamas cruise, according to an enforcement action announced today by the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC and 10 states took action against a Florida cruise company and seven affiliates that federal officials said engaged in ‘a massive telemarketing campaign resulting in billions of robocalls’ in 2011 and 2012. The survey-call ruse was designed because, as savvy consumers know, political surveys are among the exceptions to the federal Do Not Call list. The FTC says the companies made millions of dollars from the scheme, and have agreed to pay $500,000 in penalties in a settlement. The FTC says the scheme, which averaged 12 to 15 million illegal sales calls a day, used the surveys as a cover.” [Philadelphia Inquirer]
How it worked - From the FTC complaint: “Consumers who answered the Cruise Call Telemarketers’ robocalls heard the following prerecorded message, or a nearly identical version:
Hello, this is John from Political Opinions of America. You’ve been carefully selected to participate in a short 30 second research survey and for participating you’ll receive a free two day cruise for two people to the Bahamas, courtesy of one of our supporters. Gratuities and a small port tax will apply. To begin the survey, please press 1 now. To decline the survey and be removed from our list, press 9. Thank you.
The Cruise Call Telemarketers’ prerecorded call then asked consumers several automated political survey questions. After completing the survey questions, consumers heard a recording stating that they were entitled to ‘a free cruise to the Bahamas’ as a reward for taking the survey. Consumers were then instructed to press 1 if they were interested in receiving the ‘free’ cruise. The telemarketer would inform consumers that the ‘free’ cruise would cost $59 per person in port taxes and attempt to sell them pre-boarding hotels, cruise excursions, enhanced accommodations, and other travel packages.” [FTC via Philadelphia Inquirer]
Why the calls were illegal - Background from Fox News, as reported in 2012: “[According to Frank Dorman, a spokesman for the FTC], ‘Businesses have to get your written permission before they can legally send you pre-recorded messages, even if your number is on the National Do Not Call Registry, and even if they have an established business relationship with you...If you get a robocall from a company that hasn’t gotten your written permission first, it’s a scam, since no legal business wants to break the law and risk having to pay penalties of up to $16,000 per call.’ Meanwhile, FTC officials said to remember that if the purpose of the call is to sell something, its telemarketing and all rules apply. Simply adding a few questions about unrelated topics such as politics or weather does not constitute a bona fide survey. At least two similar ‘sham survey’ ruses have resulted in enforcement actions against companies for such illegal calls.” [Fox News]