"Do Not Call" Violators Fined $1.2M

coondoggie writes "A federal court today spanked two telemarketers with some $1.2 million in civil penalties for violating the Federal Trade Commission's Do Not Call Rule. According to the FTC, the companies called consumers whose phone numbers were on the Do Not Call Registry without having obtained their express written agreement or having an 'established business relationship' with them. One group's telemarketers also allegedly abandoned many calls, by failing to connect the calls to a sales representative within two seconds after consumers answered, as required by law, the FTC stated. The cases were filed by the Department of Justice on behalf of the FTC."

Re:Thats good to hear.

[Anonymous Coward]

If a judge is unsympathetic, just add his number to every telemarkers list. Wait for him to file a lawsuit, then show up on the side of the telemarketers against him and use his own official words against him in court.

Judges are not supposed uphold the law, and if the LAW says I get $500 if you call me after I am on teh DNC list, then the judge should order the telemarketer to pay the penalty of calling me.

Judges that selectivly enforce the laws on the books are not judges, but corrupt officials -- even if they do not take bribes.

Re:Thats good to hear.

[Rogerborg]

Many judges are not sympathetic towards people who report the "Do Not Call" violators. They see the people who do report them as whiny people who are abusing the judicial system for money.

Many Slashdot posters [slashdot.org] are inclined to make vague, sweeping populist statements without a shred of evidence to back them up. [Citation needed [wikipedia.org]]

Cut their goolies off

[Anonymous Coward]

I say: cut their goolies off

Re:cost of doing business...

[mpe]

There should also be other remedies available, such as prohibiting the CEOs of these companies from holding any company office for five years.

Or maybe have to publish their own phone number(s) for 5 years.

Re:Why Telemarketers?

[Canazza]

If bugging people on the phone at dinner time is a crime then my gran owes me ALOT of money then :)

Re:cost of doing business...

[gandhi_2]

So...a heard of wildebeest looses two members, that's not really much of a deterrent to the thousands.

And the two wildebeest didn't even die...they just got injured.

On the bright side...the $1.2 mil in fines will help the government pay for a telemarketer industry bailout.

This is your second notice

[Cracked Pottery]

This is your second notice that the warranty on your annoying telephone scam is about to expire.

Re:cost of doing business...

[DinDaddy]

"I call strawman on that."

We are going to have to ask you for proof of a pre-existing business relationship with strawman, as his number is on the DNC list.

Re:cost of doing business...

[BradHAWK]

According to Westgate Resorts' [westgatereservations.com] website, their annual revenue is "more than $400 million". They were fined $900,000, so that's about .2%. So in just three posts we've gone from .00004% to .012% to .2% - if we keep this thread going we can run them right out of business.