Phone terror curbed, but not completely suppressed | Money

Watchdog Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has already announced on Friday that it will strictly enforce the new rules and, if necessary, also issue fines to companies that do not comply with the new law. These rules do not only apply to commercial parties, but also to charities and political parties.

The Do not call me register will cease to exist on 1 July. It now contains thousands of telephone numbers, while in practice it turned out that those who registered there were still called. With effect from the new law, consumers themselves must have given permission to be called. Telemarketers are also no longer allowed to call with an anonymous number.

Three years

Self-employed persons or other forms of business such as a general partnership or partnership may no longer be called solely on the basis of a telephone number in the register of the Chamber of Commerce. If you are still receiving unwanted calls, simply say ‘I don’t want you to call me anymore’. The company may not call again. If this does happen, this can be reported to watchdog ACM.

The Consumers’ Association, which would prefer to see a total ban on telemarketing, previously expressed the expectation that the number of telephone calls will decrease by about 20% with the new rules. Consumers are not completely rid of it yet. Because whoever is a customer of a company may still be harassed by telephone, even three years after the consumer is no longer a customer.

Anyone who often switches insurance or energy company can still be called for years to come. The Consumers’ Association therefore argued in favor of shortening those three years to one year.

Responsible State Secretary Mona Keijzer has already announced that if that maximum term does not work, it can be reconsidered whether that term should be shortened.

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