Credit Card Glossary: Terms and Definitions

Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA)

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act was designed to shield consumers from unwanted phone solicitations. The law sets rules on telemarketing calls, forbids unsolicited fax ads, and restricts the use of autodialer equipment. Automated calls to a service that the recipient pays for, such as cellphone service and mobile texting, are prohibited under the TCPA, unless the caller has first obtained the recipient’s consent. Courts have found that most business telephone systems qualify as automated dialing systems under the law. Damages in private lawsuits are set at $500 per call, or triple that for intentional violations.