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FTC Moves to Stop
Telemarketer
Using Phony Caller ID
A nationwide telemarketer of mortgage loans has been calling people
whose numbers are listed on the National Do Not Call Registry, and
doing so without identifying itself, according to the Federal Trade
Commission, which is seeking civil penalties and an injunction against
the telemarketer for violations of the FTC’s Telemarketing
Sales Rule. This is the Commission’s first case alleging transmission
of false caller ID information.
According to an FTC complaint, Srikanth Venkataraman, formerly of
New Jersey, has been doing business as Scorpio Systems, Ltd., selling
mortgage loans, refinancing, and other products and services. Scorpio
allegedly called numbers on the Do Not Call Registry, failed to
transmit its telephone number and name to consumers’ caller
identification service, and failed to pay the fee required to access
the Registry. The telemarketer transmitted either no caller ID or
a phony caller ID – 234-567-8923 – and, as a result,
consumers were unable to contact the telemarketer to stop unwanted
telemarketing calls.
The Commission vote to authorize staff to file the complaint against
Scorpio Systems, Ltd. was 5-0. The complaint was filed at the FTC’s
request by the U. S. Department of Justice in U.S. District Court
for the District of New Jersey on April 26, 2006. Assistance in
this matter was provided by the FTC’s Southwestern Regional
Office.
The FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection is committed to ensuring
compliance with the National Do Not Call Registry. To date, the
Bureau has brought 26 law enforcement actions for various DNC-related
violations. Consumers can register their phone number on the Registry
either online at www.donotcall.gov or by calling toll-free 1-888-382-1222
(TTY 1-866-290-4236) from the number they wish to register.
NOTE: The
Commission authorizes the filing of a complaint when it has “reason
to believe” that the law has been or is being violated, and
it appears to the Commission that a proceeding is in the public
interest. The complaint is not a finding or ruling that the defendant
actually has violated the law. The case will be decided by the court.
Copies of the legal documents associated with these cases are available
from the FTC’s Web site at http://www.ftc.gov and also from
the FTC’s Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania
Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580. The FTC works for the consumer
to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices
in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers
spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish
(bilingual counselors are available to take complaints), or to get
free information on any of 150 consumer topics, call toll-free,
1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357), or use the complaint form at http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/complaint.htm.
The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft, and other
fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online
database available to thousands of civil and criminal law enforcement
agencies in the U.S. and abroad.
© Contacto Magazine - September 28, 2006 |
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