Legal Robocalls: The Basic Overview
Yesterday, I put out an article talking about the FCC proposing an almost $300 million fine against the people responsible for a vehicle warranty robocall scam. Today, I thought I'd talk about legal robocalls.
In the wake of the news about the proposed fine, the FCC released a document clarifying what is legal and permissible regarding robocalls. For example, robocalls not made for a commercial purpose and calls from a tax-exempt nonprofit are legal. Also, calls from package delivery companies (FedEx, UPS, etc.) and healthcare related calls (such as the notification that a prescription is ready for pickup at a pharmacy) are legal, likely under the assumption that the recipient signed up to receive the notifications.
Furthermore, there are limits on how many legal robocalls can be made to any given phone number in a given period. For most legal robocalls, the limit is three calls within a thirty day period. If the call is healthcare/HIPPA-related, the limit is one call per day, with a maximum of three calls per week. Calls regarding a health or safety emergency are not limited at all.
I should also note that the limits can be changed. A recipient of these calls can give consent, either orally or in writing, to receive automated calls in excess of these limits. It isn't blanket consent for any and all robocalls, it's consent for the specific business or organization to call more often than is otherwise allowed, and the consent can be revoked at will.
I hope this helps!