The UAE government has announced stricter regulations on telemarketing phone calls, introducing new controls and mechanisms to ensure consumer protection.
Companies violating these regulations will face administrative penalties, which include warnings and fines of up to Dh150,000.
Starting in mid-August 2024, violators will be subjected to a range of penalties. These penalties start with warnings and can escalate to fines as high as Dh150,000.
In more severe cases, companies may face partial or complete suspension of their activities, license cancellations, removal from the commercial registry, cutting off telecommunications services, and even a ban on telecommunications services in the UAE for up to one year.
The new rules mandate that marketing companies must obtain prior approval from the competent authority before initiating any telemarketing activities. Additionally, individuals are forbidden from using phones registered in their names for marketing purposes. All marketing calls must come from phones registered to a licensed telemarketing company.
Telemarketing calls are restricted to the hours between 9 AM and 6 PM, and it is strictly forbidden to contact numbers listed on the Do Not Call Registry (DNCR).
According to the new law, if a consumer declines a service or product during the first call, a follow-up call is not allowed. Furthermore, if the consumer does not answer or ends the call, only one additional call is permitted per day.
Consumers are empowered by the new regulations to file complaints with the competent authority regarding any violations of these marketing call rules. This initiative follows the Cabinet’s decision in May to regulate cold calling, with the Ministry of Economy and the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) spearheading the implementation. These measures aim to shield consumers from intrusive telemarketing practices and enhance the overall quality of marketing activities in the UAE.
