Can the TCPA help me with calls that are for someone else?
“Can the TCPA help me with calls that are for someone else?”
TCPA can stop robo dialed calls or texts to your cell phone, even if the calls and texts are for someone other than you.
When a collection agency or credit card company or any company is using a robo-dialer to call or text you but they are trying to reach someone else, you may wonder if the TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act) can help you.
Yes, it can.
Yes, it does cover calls and texts for someone else.
It does help with collectors or others who keep calling you can asking for someone else.
Under the TCPA, companies are only allowed to contact you by robo dialed calls or texts if you give them permission to.
Here’s the thing, they’re calling for someone else, not you.
You couldn’t have given them permission to call you.
It may be that they’re calling for the person who owned your current number several years ago.
Here’s an illustration to put this in perspective.
Let’s say you gave the debt collector a key to your house, and told them that they could stop by whenever they wanted.
At some point after you gave them a key, you sold your your house.
Let’s say that a year after you move out, the debt collector goes to your old house and says, “Well, Joe Consumer said we could come in whenever, so I’ll let myself in.”
That’s a good way to get shot in Alabama.
You can’t just walk into people’s homes and say, “Well, years ago I was given permission to come in whenever.”
It doesn’t work that way.
The collection company or credit card company can’t assume that, because they were given permission once, they will always have permission.
It’s the company’s responsibility to keep their information updated to make sure they still have permission to call.
Here’s where the TCPA comes into play.
If you’re getting these calls, then the company might get one free call or text.
After that, they’re violating the law.
What does this mean?
It means that they will have to pay you anywhere from $500-$1,500 per call or text they’ve sent using a robo-dialer.
That starts to add up, especially if they’ve called you 25, 50, or even 100 times. We have cases involving hundreds of calls so you can imagine how the companies feel about those cases.
You can definitely use this law to stop calls from debt collectors. And get money damages for the violations of the law.
Feel free to contact us.
If you live in the state of Alabama and have any questions about what we talked about in this article, or about your particular situation, feel free to contact us.
We represent consumers all over the state of Alabama.
You can call us at 1-205-879-2447 and ask for Carolyn, who will gladly set up a meeting for us to talk with you about your case.
You can also fill out a contact form and we will gladly get in touch with you.
I look forward to chatting with you!
Have a great day.