Two telemarketers first to be fined for violating do-not-call list

Great news published in the Ottawa Business Journal today.

http://www.ottawabusinessjournal.com/294900830890941.php

Two telemarketers are the first to have been served with notices of violation for breaking the rules of the national do-not-call list, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission said Wednesday.

The commission did not identify the telemarketers in its news release, and said it will not release the violators’ names if the fine is paid within 30 days without being contested.

“Although most telemarketers are abiding by the rules, we will use the enforcement tools at our disposal to promote compliance,” said Leonard Katz, the CRTC’s vice-chairman of telecommunications, in a statement. “The notices of violation we have issued serve as a warning to telemarketers that we will not look the other way if they break the rules and invade the privacy of consumers.”

Companies may be fined up $15,000 for each call to a registrant on the list, which was established in September 2008 to allow consumers to opt out of getting unwanted calls from telemarketers soliciting goods and services.