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Telemarketing laws in Alberta/Canada?

DeusfauxDeusfaux Registered User regular
edited February 2008 in Help / Advice Forum
Anybody have any information on this subject? Luckily our phone service offers free selective number call blocking... but I'm wondering if there's anything I can do to prevent these companies from calling me in the first place.

Something like a do not call registry - or how the laws work.


I know how to deal with collection agencies on the phone (you might remember that thread) but these guys are governed by different laws.

Deusfaux on

Posts

  • CycophantCycophant Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    We don't have a Do-Not-Call registry in place yet (should be up by later this year, according to wikipedia), although the Canadian Marketing Association does have its own private list, but needless to say it only affects companies that are a member of the Association. Still, it can't hurt to add your name.

    In the meantime, it has to be done on a case-by-case basis. Every time a telemarketer calls you, you have to request to be put on their Do Not Call registry. Legally they must comply within a few weeks, and they must issue you a unique confirmation number at the time of the request as well. Any deviation from this means you can report them to the CRTC, and they apparently take it pretty seriously. I called in an automated dialer who was calling once every few days to the CRTC, and the very next day they called me requesting further details, and that very day the calls stopped.

    Cycophant on
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  • DeusfauxDeusfaux Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    hmmm maybe I should contact the CRTC.

    Yeah normally if it's a person I just ask to be taken off the list, etc, and it seems to work just fine. But this auto-dialer thing confounded me as there was no live person to make such a request to

    Deusfaux on
  • Descendant XDescendant X Skyrim is my god now. Outpost 31Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    If you're getting called by an auto-dialer, you're probably not going to be able to do anything about it. The one that calls us is from Michigan and tells us about free trips we've one. It will come up a Michigan on your call display.

    Luckily with the auto-dialer you don't have to talk to anyone, so you can just hang up.

    Descendant X on
    Garry: I know you gentlemen have been through a lot, but when you find the time I'd rather not spend the rest of the winter TIED TO THIS FUCKING COUCH!
  • CycophantCycophant Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    Deusfaux wrote: »
    hmmm maybe I should contact the CRTC.

    Yeah normally if it's a person I just ask to be taken off the list, etc, and it seems to work just fine. But this auto-dialer thing confounded me as there was no live person to make such a request to

    I'm assuming the auto-dialer is trying to sell something? Because unless its a public service announcement or certain kinds of poll-takers, it's illegal in Canada. Call up the CRTC and complain - even if the autodialer number can't be traced, whichever business its for is a way of tracking them down.

    Cycophant on
    sig.gif
  • DeusfauxDeusfaux Registered User regular
    edited February 2008
    Yeah it's a free vacation one (that still costs money, of course)

    1-517-931-2140

    Deusfaux on
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