# illegal to telemarket to cell phones?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-telemarket-to-cell-phones/150811>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 25, 2003, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-telemarket-to-cell-phones/150811 "2003-01-25T04:29:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![truthbot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@truthbot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/truthbot)\
**Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-telemarket-to-cell-phones/150811/21 "2003-01-26T00:37:44Z")

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From one of **DDG** ’s links:

> [@](#):
>
> Unless the call recipient has given permission in advance, DMA Guidelines prohibit marketers from knowingly calling a telephone number for which the called party must pay the charges **regardless** of whether the call was placed by a live representative or an automated or predictive dialer.

That seems pretty clear to me.

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**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\
**Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-telemarket-to-cell-phones/150811/22 "2003-01-26T08:14:49Z")

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I was confused for a while. Regardless who (or what) is calling, you still pay for calls on your mobile.

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**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\
**Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-telemarket-to-cell-phones/150811/23 "2003-01-26T12:29:54Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by cazzle \*  
> \*\*They do in the US, **Skogcat**. Shh, don’t let Telstra know!! \*\*

Heh heh, never will I complain about my cell phone bill again.

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**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\
**Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-telemarket-to-cell-phones/150811/24 "2003-01-26T15:02:53Z")

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I expect telemarketers to soon abandon automati dialers, since more and more people I know will not talk if their “hello” is not answered immediately. Although the simplest way is to refuse calls from caller ID blocked numbers. I am also sending every charity I donate to a letter stating that if they phone me they will be sricken from my list of donees.

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