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Definition
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), enacted in 1991 under 47 U.S.C. §227, restricts unsolicited telemarketing calls, auto-dialed calls, pre-recorded voice messages, and commercial SMS texts to mobile phones. Any business using automated technology to contact consumers for marketing purposes must first obtain documented express written consent. The FCC's 2024 one-to-one consent rule requires that consent specifically name each individual company that may call — blanket "marketing partners" language is no longer sufficient. Violations carry statutory damages of $500–$1,500 per call or text, making TCPA class actions among the most expensive consumer-law claims in the US.
Also Known As
47 U.S.C. §227
Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991
TCPA compliance
Used in Context
- When you submit a quote form on Dreamy Leads, our TCPA consent language individually names each company that may contact you — your consent is obtained on a one-to-one basis as required by FCC rules.
- A national mortgage lender settled a TCPA class-action suit for $11.5M after using a shared lead list on which consumers had consented to contact from a different company entirely.
- Before launching an SMS drip campaign, the marketing team audited all lead sources to confirm each record carried valid TCPA consent with a matching timestamp and IP address.
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