Many people are not aware that anyone can register by phone, online, or by post not to be called at home by telemarketers. Wouldn’t it be wonderful never to have your evening meal with your family interrupted by a sales call? This valuable service for the community is operated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). What most people don’t realise is that if they already signed up some years ago for the Do Not Call Service their registration will be ending abruptly in May of this year. If you think you may be one of those who will be affected you can renew on line, by phone, or in writing so that your service will continue undisturbed.
Once you register your phone number your registration is valid for 3 years, and renewable any time. That means that your phone number will remain on the register for three years then you can re-register for another three-year period, or let it lapse if you miss all the sales calls. The ACMA will email you when it is time for you to renew, if you provided your email address to them when you registered. Or you can check your registration expiry date online, by telephone or by mail. This service is for your home phone and mobile phone numbers, but not business phone lines or fax numbers. You are allowed to register up to 10 phone numbers over a 3-year period using the same email address. It may take up to 30 days for individual telemarketing agencies to recognise your registration, and stop calling to your number.
If a telemarketer still calls a number that has been added to the Do Not Call Register, they may be in breach of the Act, and can face tough penalties. However, some organisations operating in the public interest are exempt from prohibition from making telemarketing calls. These include charities, religious organisations, educational institutions, government bodies, registered political parties, independent members of parliament and nominated political candidates. These exemptions are in place to ensure that these organisations and individuals can continue to provide their important services to the community. You can also still receive calls from market researchers since they are not selling anything.
It remains legal for a business with which you have a relationship to continue to call you, even if your telephone number is on the Do Not Call Register. The Do Not Call Register legislation applies to both businesses within Australia that use overseas-based telemarketers to help solicit sales, as well as those based overseas making calls to Australian telephone numbers.
If your number is on the Do Not Call Register and you receive a call from a telemarketer that you believe is covered by the Do Not Call Register, you can complete a complaint form on the Register website at https://www.donotcall.gov.au/regNumber.cfm or phone 1300 792 958. Enforcement options available to ACMA in relation to breaches of the Act include issuing formal warnings, issuing infringement notices with penalties of up to $110,000 per day and commencing court proceedings for the recovery of penalties up to $1.1 million. Breaches of the industry standard may incur formal warnings or court-imposed penalties of up to $250,000.