The UAE government has introduced stringent regulations on telemarketing via phone calls, implementing new controls and mechanisms to safeguard consumer rights. As reported by Khaleej Times, violators of these regulations will face administrative penalties, including warnings and fines of up to Dh150,000.
Starting mid-August 2024, gradual penalties will be imposed on offenders, ranging from warnings to fines. Severe violations could lead to more drastic measures such as partial or complete suspension of activities, license cancellation, removal from the commercial registry, disconnection of telecommunications services, and deprivation of telecommunications services in the country for up to one year.
Under the new regulations, marketing companies must obtain prior approval from the competent authority before engaging in telemarketing activities. Individuals are prohibited from making marketing calls using phones registered in their names, and all such calls must be made from phones registered under a licensed telemarketing company.
Telemarketing calls are restricted to the hours between 9am and 6pm and are strictly prohibited to numbers registered on the Do Not Call Registry (DNCR). The law also states that if a consumer declines a service or product during the first call, follow-up calls are prohibited. Additionally, only one call per day is allowed if the consumer does not answer or ends the call.
The regulations empower consumers to file complaints with the competent authority regarding any violations of these marketing call rules. This decision, approved by the Cabinet in May, was implemented by the Ministry of Economy and the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) to protect consumers from unwanted telemarketing practices and to enhance the overall quality of marketing activities in the UAE.