Telemarketers who call you repeatedly are often breaking the law, and with just a bit of paperwork, you can sue them for $500-$1500 per violation. Read this article to find out how.
For many of us, fighting off those relentless telemarketers has become an all-out war in our own homes. It happens like clockwork: it’s 7AM, we’re just crawling out of bed towards our first cup of coffee, when into our ear screams… Acme Credit Company with 0% APR!
Or, maybe we just got home from nine hours of the boss yelling in our ear, the project has been delayed (again), and when we finally collapse onto the couch for a tiny bit of relaxation, in charges… Craptacular Mortgage Company with an UNBELIEVABLE new offer!
Think you’re powerless to stop this endless barrage of telemarketing torment? Think again.
Not only can you stop the calls, but you can also make thousands of dollars, with minimal time or effort, off of the telemarketers’ harassment. Why? Because they are often breaking the law.
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act, passed by Congress in 1991, sets out precise rules for telemarketers to follow. For example, one of these rules says that they must maintain a written Do Not Call policy, which they are required to send you upon request. Another rule is that you may ask to be placed on the firm’s Do Not Call list.
And here’s the clincher: if the company breaks either of these rules, or a whole host of others(1 ), they will owe you $500-$1500 per violation, which you can receive by filing a complaint in your local Small Claims Court. Once you know your rights, the telemarketers will be running from you in tears, instead of the other way around.
It gets even better. To file a winning claim, you don’t need hundreds of dollars, and you don’t need to spend days in court. In fact, you don’t even need a lawyer. These cases are so open-and-shut that all you’ll need is: a $50-$100 court filing fee, and a couple hours of your time.
I’ll repeat: you put in two hours and 50 bucks, and you come out with $500-$1500 in the bank (or even more, depending on how many times they call), and an end to the incessant, uncomfortable sales pitches ruining your few peaceful hours at home.
Sound like a no-brainer? Then here’s how you do it, in 5 easy steps:
This method is so reliable, that some people have made a routine out of it—California’s Andre-Tascha Lamme has racked up over $6,000 from just four telemarketing firms, and set up a detailed site (www.killthecalls.com) to help others follow his lead.
There’s no reason to endure those irritating calls any longer. If you want to stop the telemarketers, and make a tidy sum based on the protection the law gives you, you can now take matters into your own hands.
The next time a telemarketer calls, you’ll be ready.
2 For a list of Small Claims Courts and their websites, visit law.freeadvice.com/resources/smallclaimscourts.htm
3 Under the TCPA, the telemarketers are allowed one “error” after you invoke the law. So they have to call twice for you to book them.