The CRTC has issued over $100,000 in penalties to several real-estate, investment and mortgage agents and brokerages for violating telemarketing rules.
The agents and brokerages hired a telemarketing firm to recruit prospective clients, which did not abide by the commission’s Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules. It’s worth noting that the CRTC did not name the telemarketing companies or the brokerages involved.
Between 2012 and 2017, the CRTC received over 1,000 complaints related to the third-party telemarketer. The regulatory body notes that among other things, individuals and businesses who hire a firm to make calls on their behalf must ensure that the telemarketer is updating its calling list and isn’t calling Canadians who are registered to the National Do Not Call List.
“Should the telemarketer fail to do so, the contracting individual or business can be held liable for their violations,” the commission outlined.
As part of this investigation, the commission issued 44 citations, 258 warning letters and 23 violation notices with penalties totalling $103,300.
“We encourage companies who hire a third-party telemarketer to ensure that they are fully in compliance with the National Do Not Call List and the Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules,” said Steven Harroun, the chief compliance and enforcement officer at the CRTC, in a news release.
Canadians can file a complaint with the National Do Not Call List Operator online or by phone.
Source: CRTC
