888-478-8567

AMPEX Medical Supplies Simi Valley, CA. Mike calls your workplace and ask an employee to confirm an order. The employee really has no idea and says sure. Then they ship you a box of gloves and an invoice for $500. Complete scam DO NOT PAY!!!!! You will get a voice mail everytime you call and they have no legitimate website or address. I suggest you keep the gloves in addition to not paying to put this guy out of "business". How does this guy sleep at night knowing his job is to rip innocent hardworking business off.

Michael Joseph Conversino is a CON and scamming medical offices claiming to be your vendor or selling Medical gloves.  DONT TALK TO THIS MAN.  He calims to be the OWNER of AMPEX MEDICAL SUPPLIES at 1230-5 Madera Rd, Suit #166 Simi Valley CA  93065/1230-5 Madera Rd Suite #166, SImi Valley CA  93065


He will also call AP department for credit card payment

We got an invoice from Ampex Medical Supplies for $495.34 for 2 boxes of gloves.  I recalled someone calling the facility and I happened to answer the phone.  All he asked was to confirm the address for delivery and I of course thinking that this was a legit order I confirmed.  First we did not put the order, second it was 2 boxes of gloves and now the bill for almost $500.00.  This is a joke.  Of course, I am not paying.

SCAM!  BEWARE! SCAM! BEWARE!
RIVERA MEDICAL COMPANY aka AMPEX MEDICAL SUPPLIES aka FALCON INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES

www.riveramedicalcompany.com and www.ampexmedicalsupplies.com

there's a mistake with this phone number, should be 888-428-8567, also, their phone number has changed once again from 888-857-3945 to 888-965-8850.

888-965-8850 replaced 888-428-8567 and 888-857-3945

http://business.ftc.gov/documents/bus27-complying-telemarketing-sales-rule

The law requires that when sellers and telemarketers offer to sell goods or services, they must provide the consumer with material information about the offered goods or services necessary to avoid misleading consumers. The term material means likely to affect someone’s choice of goods or services or decision to make a charitable contribution, or someone’s conduct with regard to a purchase or donation.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued amendments to the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) in 2003, 2008, and 2010. Like the original TSR issued in 1995, the amended Rule gives effect to the Telemarketing and Consumer Fraudand Abuse Prevention Act. This legislation gives the FTC and state attorneys general law enforcement tools to combat telemarketing fraud, gives consumers added privacy protections and defenses against unscrupulous telemarketers, and helps consumers tell the difference between fraudulent and legitimate telemarketing.

One significant amendment to the TSR prohibits calling consumers who have put their phone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry. Another change covers the solicitation of charitable contributions by for-profit telemarketers.

Other key provisions:

*require disclosures of specific information
*prohibit misrepresentations
*limit when telemarketers may call consumers
*require transmission of Caller ID information
*prohibit abandoned outbound calls, subject to a safe harbor
*prohibit unauthorized billing
*set payment restrictions for the sale of certain goods and services

Sellers and Telemarketers Must Disclose Material Information

The Rule requires sellers and telemarketers, whether making outbound calls to consumers or receiving inbound calls from consumers, to provide certain material information before the consumer pays for the goods or services that are the subject of the sales offer. Material information is information that would likely affect a person’s choice of goods or services or the person’s decision to make a charitable contribution. More simply, it is information a consumer needs to make an informed decision about whether to purchase goods or services or make a donation. Sellers and telemarketers may provide the material information either orally or in writing. Failure to provide any of the required information truthfully and in a “clear and conspicuous” manner, before the consumer pays for the goods or services offered, is a deceptive telemarketing act or practice that violates the Rule and subjects a seller or telemarketer to a civil penalty of $16,000 for each violation.

http://www.wysk.com/index/texas/katy/vkrpp8k/ ... ies-inc/profile

ampex medical supplies aka rivera medical company aka allied medical co aka Corbin supply aka advanced medical co aka superior medical company were never registered as legit business in the state of Texas or in California

http://www.wysk.com/index/texas/katy/vkrpp8k/ ... ies-inc/profile

ampex medical supplies aka rivera medical company aka allied medical co aka Corbin supply aka advanced medical co aka superior medical company were never registered as legit business in the state of Texas or in California

713-334-2166 IS LISTED WITH THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU AS SUPERIOR MEDICAL COMPANY ALONG WITH ALL THESE ADITIONAL PHONE NUMBERS: (281) 238-9290(Phone)
(888) 238-9290(Phone) (888) 999-8826(Phone) (713) 334-2166 (Fax)

locaton: 8524 Hwy 6 N #315, Houston, TX 77095 (which is a PO box address at a UPS store)

http://www.bbb.org/houston/business-reviews/m ... ton-tx-13005265


888-857-3945, 713-774-4800, 713-774-4801, 713-774-4809 current phone numbers scammers are using.

AMPEX MEDICAL SUPPLIES aka RIVERA MEDICAL CO aka FALCON INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES aka ALPHA MEDICAL aka SUPERIOR MEDICAL aka ADVANCED MEDICAL CO aka IHTA INC aka DMZ inc aka CORBIN SUPPLY aka ALLIED MEDICAL

Michael e Arnold and Michael a Dirksen never use their real names they use the following alias names when they scam people -
WILLIAM BAXTER, DOUG BISHOP, MIKE ADAMS, MIKE ALLEN, MIKE BROWN, STEVE RIVERS, STEVE ALEXANDER, JACK TAYLOR, JOHN SANCHEZ, BILL MEYERS, JOHN TRAYNOR, KEVIN GARRETT, etc

http://www.businessconsumeralliance.org/Repor ... ty-TX-100126526

The callers real name is Michael Emoreth Arnold and he moved from California to Houston to continue his scam operation. The office in California is still open for scam business and Michael E Arnold has another associate running his scam in that office. Michael E Arnold's goal is deceive and trick you by telling you that you ordered from them before, or you placed an order with them, or that Rivera Medical, Ampex Medical, Falcon, Allied Medical, Advanced Medical, Superior Medical, Corbin Supply, are your approved vendors for gloves or that someone else in your business placed a glove order with them which is why you received an enormous shipment of cases and cases every week for a month or two....ALL LIES! This is all part of his scam. They've had at least 20 toll free phone numbers which they no longer use because they keep changing their number. The number they currently use now is 888-857-3945/713-774-4800/713-774-4801. Their office is at 10333 Harwin Dr. Suite 170, Houston, TX 77036, and they don't ever provide this information. They use at least 8-10 PO box addresses which are all inside UPS stores in Houston/Katy and in California. Michael E Arnold has been running this scam for years now with the help of his side monkey, Michael A Dirksen (co scammer) The Better Business Bureau says you are not obligated to pay these monkeys anything because it is a scam ...here's the link to the BBB where it talks about phony invoices and scams...

http://www.knobbemedical.com/wp-content/uploa ... 12-cv-02566.pdf

http://dockets.justia.com/docket/colorado/codce/1:2012cv02566/135851/

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/aug/03/moorpa ... bureau/?print=1

http://dockets.justia.com/docket/colorado/codce/1:2012cv02566/135851/


Their number now is 888-965-8850 and use AMPEX MEDICAL SUPPLIES to continue their scamming

www.ampexmedicalsupplies.com and www.riveramedicalcompany.com

FALCON INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES (primary BANK account - all profits from all their scams goes here)

Ampex Medical Supplies aka Rivera Medical Company aka Allied Medical Co aka Corbin Supply aka Advanced Medical Co aka Superior Medical Co were never registered as a legit business in the state of Texas nor in California where both offices are located in.

Company sells medical & latex gloves. They contact the business office at the Care Centers. They inform the business office that they are sending a shipment of free gloves for possible future procurement. The business office then receives an invoice three weeks later. On average each invoice is for $600 or more, the invoice description is: 2 boxes med vinyl powder free gloves.

They do business by several names. The remit addresses are UPS Stores in Texas. This vendor is known by many names: Ampex Medical, Rivera Medical, Advanced Medical & Superior Medical these are all DBA's. The corporation name is Falcon International Industries EIN#45-5613394. Mike Allen (Michael A Dirksen) & Mike Adams (Michael A. Dirksen), Doug Bishop (Michael E Arnold) Mike Brown (Michael E Arnold). William Baxter (Michael E Arnold) make the sales calls and collection calls. They are very aggressive when trying to collect on the invoice. They've cursed at my Director of Nursing at three of our care centers. Doug Bishop left me a voice mail on 07/30/12 he used profanity and called me profane names. They call and scream obscenities over the phone and hang up. As I type up this complaint I've already received three calls from Mike Allen and one voice mail.

Both criminals who are operating these scams DO NOT even have a license in California nor in Texas to operate all of these business names they've used - AMPEX MEDICAL SUPPLIES, RIVERA MEDICAL COMPANY, ALLIED MEDICAL CO, CORBIN SUPPLY, ADVANCED MEDICAL CO, SUPERIOR MEDICAL CO...which are all scams

713-334-2166 IS LISTED WITH THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU AS SUPERIOR MEDICAL COMPANY ALONG WITH ALL THESE ADITIONAL PHONE NUMBERS: (281) 238-9290(Phone)
(888) 238-9290(Phone) (888) 999-8826(Phone) (713) 334-2166 (Fax)

locaton: 8524 Hwy 6 N #315, Houston, TX 77095 (which is a PO box address at a UPS store)

http://www.bbb.org/houston/business-reviews/m ... ton-tx-13005265


888-857-3945, 713-774-4800, 713-774-4801, 713-774-4809 current phone numbers scammers are using.

AMPEX MEDICAL SUPPLIES aka RIVERA MEDICAL CO aka FALCON INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES aka ALPHA MEDICAL aka SUPERIOR MEDICAL aka ADVANCED MEDICAL CO aka IHTA INC aka DMZ inc aka CORBIN SUPPLY aka ALLIED MEDICAL

Michael e Arnold and Michael a Dirksen never use their real names they use the following alias names when they scam people -
WILLIAM BAXTER, DOUG BISHOP, MIKE ADAMS, MIKE ALLEN, MIKE BROWN, STEVE RIVERS, STEVE ALEXANDER, JACK TAYLOR, JOHN SANCHEZ, BILL MEYERS, JOHN TRAYNOR, KEVIN GARRETT, etc

http://www.businessconsumeralliance.org/Repor ... ty-TX-100126526

The callers real name is Michael Emoreth Arnold and he moved from California to Houston to continue his scam operation. The office in California is still open for scam business and Michael E Arnold has another associate running his scam in that office. Michael E Arnold's goal is deceive and trick you by telling you that you ordered from them before, or you placed an order with them, or that Rivera Medical, Ampex Medical, Falcon, Allied Medical, Advanced Medical, Superior Medical, Corbin Supply, are your approved vendors for gloves or that someone else in your business placed a glove order with them which is why you received an enormous shipment of cases and cases every week for a month or two....ALL LIES! This is all part of his scam. They've had at least 20 toll free phone numbers which they no longer use because they keep changing their number. The number they currently use now is 888-857-3945/713-774-4800/713-774-4801. Their office is at 10333 Harwin Dr. Suite 170, Houston, TX 77036, and they don't ever provide this information. They use at least 8-10 PO box addresses which are all inside UPS stores in Houston/Katy and in California. Michael E Arnold has been running this scam for years now with the help of his side monkey, Michael A Dirksen (co scammer) The Better Business Bureau says you are not obligated to pay these monkeys anything because it is a scam ...here's the link to the BBB where it talks about phony invoices and scams...

http://www.knobbemedical.com/wp-content/uploa ... 12-cv-02566.pdf

http://dockets.justia.com/docket/colorado/codce/1:2012cv02566/135851/

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/aug/03/moorpa ... bureau/?print=1

877-591-3777, 888-857-3944, 888-965-8850, 888-428-8567, 888-478-8567 to rip off innocent people.....


Basically what Rivera Medical Company does is they call you to phish for information. They ship and invoice you for medical golves you never authorized or ordered. This happened to a friend of mine and now she is having a hard time shorting this out. Rivera Medical Company claims that the golves were authorized and that the outrageous invoice is valid. I'm not even sure where Rivera Medical Companys' corporate office is out of, but I found their address in California on Business Consumer Alliance. Their phone number (888) 857-3945 is no longer in service. My friend and I cannot get through to them. We will be contacting BCA to file a complaint.



Criminals, Michael Emoreth Arnold and Michael Alan Dirksen don't even have a license to operate in California or anywhere else. They use several business names to scam private doctors, clinics, hospitals ECT and constantly move and change phone numbers in order to keep from getting caught! You can find a copy of this complaint at www.ripoffreport.com if you search for Rivera Medical Company which was recently filed on 1/7/2014.  They have been reported to the authorities and will face charges real  soon!
Caller: Rivera Medical Company
Call Type: Telemarketer

Info: https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-877-591-3777
Info: https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-877-490-4716
Caller: Ampex Medical Supplies aka Rivera Medical CO
Call Type: Telemarketer

888-428-8567, 888-965-8850, 888-478-8567, 713-774-4800, 713-774-4801 to rip off innocent people.....

all the numbers below are listed with the BBB & different business names used by scammers: Michael e Arnold and Michael a Dirksen
888-965-8850
713-774-4800
713-774-4801
888-857-3945
888-785-3660
818-884-6588
888-829-8826
877.591.3777
888.841.3313
712.853.5295
714.568-0111
888.428.8567
877.428.8567
888.238.9290
888.844.9290
713.334.2166
281.238.9290
713.334.2685
888.999.8826
713-774-4800
713-448-4801
713-448-4809
866-960-9066
866-960-9033
877.490.4716
713-952-9066

Basically what Rivera Medical Company does is they call you to phish for information. They ship and invoice you for medical golves you never authorized or ordered. This happened to a friend of mine and now she is having a hard time shorting this out. Rivera Medical Company claims that the golves were authorized and that the outrageous invoice is valid. I'm not even sure where Rivera Medical Companys' corporate office is out of, but I found their address in California on Business Consumer Alliance. Their phone number (888) 857-3945 is no longer in service. My friend and I cannot get through to them. We will be contacting BCA to file a complaint.



Criminals, Michael Emoreth Arnold and Michael Alan Dirksen don't even have a license to operate in California or anywhere else. They use several business names to scam private doctors, clinics, hospitals ECT and constantly move and change phone numbers in order to keep from getting caught! You can find a copy of this complaint at www.ripoffreport.com if you search for Rivera Medical Company which was recently filed on 1/7/2014.  They have been reported to the authorities and will face charges real  soon!
Caller: Rivera Medical Company
Call Type: Telemarketer

Info: https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-877-591-3777
Info: https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-877-490-4716
Caller: Ampex Medical Supplies
Call Type: Telemarketer

offered an employee complimentary medical gloves to try- employee accepted- sent gloves and candy as a thank you - weeks later sent an invoice for $451.50 for the gloves - supposedly has shipments "scheduled" monthly "per our request" - and likely invoices as well.  very unprofessional when called to talk about the invoice - very argumentative and arrogant. called our business back numerous times after call was ended wanting to continue arguing.
Caller: Rivera Medical Company

http://www.bbb.org/houston/Business-Reviews/m ... aty-tx-90027114

http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/rivera-ampex-superior-advanced-falcon/katy-texas-77450/rivera-ampex-superior-advanced-falcon-ampex-medical-supply-superior-medical-supply-1026994

http://www.bbb.org/houston/business-reviews/m ... row-tx-90029351

Ampex Medical Supplies & Rivera Medical Company & Superior Medical Company & Advanced Medical Company & Falcon International Industries

Phone: (888) 428-8567 & 888-965-8850 & 877-591-3777 & 713-774-4801
1251 Pin Oak Road Suite 131-216, Katy, TX 77494

Rivera, Ampex, Superior, Advanced & Falcon
565 S Mason RD STE 484
Katy, Texas

Phone: (877) 591-3777
Fax: (818) 884-6588
530 W. Los Angeles Ave #115-210, Moorpark , CA 93021

Ampex Medical Supplies
Phone: (888) 428-8567
1251 Pin Oak Road Suite 131-216, Katy, TX 77494

Rivera Medical Company aka Ampex Medical Supplies
Phone: (888) 857-3945
1251 Pin Oak Rd Ste 131, Park Row, TX 77494

COMPLAINT:
Company sells medical & latex gloves. They contact the business office at the Care Centers. They inform the business office that they are sending a shipment of free gloves for possible future procurement. The business office then receives an invoice three weeks later. On average each invoice is for $500 or more, the invoice description is: 2 boxes med vinyl powderfree gloves.

They do business by several names. The remit addresses are UPS Stores in Texas. This vendor is known by many names: Ampex Medical, Rivera Medical, Advanced Medical & Superior Medical these are all DBA's. The corporation name is Falcon International Industries EIN#45-5613394. Mike Allen, Doug Bishop & Mike Brown make the sales calls and collection calls. They are very aggressive when trying to collect on the invoice. They've cursed at my Director of Nursing at three of our care centers. Doug Bishop left me a voice mail on 07/30/12 he used profanity and called me profane names. They call and scream obscenities over the phone and hang up. As I type up this complaint I've already received three calls from Mike Allen and one voice mail.


*****

COMPLAINT:
Complaint: This is a company that scams people. Offer latex gloves at a low price and charge you 10 times the price. Their name is either Ampex Medical Supplies or Rivera Medical Company. We ordered 2 cases of gloves, rec'd 10 boxes and were charged $466.93. Buyer beware!!

Desired Settlement: I am disputing the charges on my credit card at this time. If I do not receive a credit back to my card I would like the BBB to pursue.

BBB's Final Determination: Business failed to respond to the BBB to resolve or address the complaint issues.

BBB Comments:
After initial complaint and follow up notice submitted, the company chose not to respond.

*******

Complaint: Someone from Ampex Medical Supplies cold called one of my staff offering samples of vinyl gloves and a box of chocolates if we tried their gloves. They sent 2 cases, 10 boxes of gloves, but no chocolates. We tried the gloves and they were nothing special. Certainly not special enough to cost $ 477.98. Yes, they sent an invoice for $ 477.98 and we have had several harassing phone calls from them. They also faxed another invoice, but this one was supposed to go to an OB/GYN clinic in *****. I called the ***** clinic and they also are dealing with the same deceptive practice from this unethical company.

Desired Settlement: I would like for this outfit to stop wasting our time with their harassing calls.

BBB's Final Determination: Business failed to respond to the BBB to resolve or address the complaint issues.

BBB Comments: After initial complaint and follow up notice submitted, the company chose not to respond.

*****

Complaint: Rivera medical called to say that they were sending several cases of gloves and a box of Spees chocolate. She continued by saying that the cost of gloves that we order from them is increasing but they would send the cases at the current price to save us money before the cost increase. I explained that we were not getting our gloves from Rivera, she continued by saying that we do infact get our gloves from them and it shows that we usually order medium size gloves and how many cases would. I told her that I order from Medline. She hung up.

Desired Settlement: Do not call again

BBB's Final Determination: Business failed to respond to the BBB to resolve or address the complaint issues.

*****************************

Complaint: This company called and pretended to be another company and sent us medical gloves and then tried to bill us for them. They lied, they fished for information and they are ********

Desired Settlement: I want a return shipping label to return the products and I want to be added to there ** *** **** list.

Business Response: Response attached


we received this letter on ******* it is not true on any part ******* ****** ordered 2 case of nitrile gloves on ****** we faxed the invoice to him ****** with are companys name on top invoice he called are office ******* and told a rep that he had order from wrong company we sent out a *** .Pickup on ******* that we payed for never had we spoken to ****** ****** so how can this person tell you a true statement this account is closed and we would like her to retrack this fulse statement thank you

SUPERIOR MEDICAL SUPPLIES VERSUS SUPERIOR MEDICAL COMPANY LAWSUIT

Lawsuit can be found at   http://www.knobbemedical.com 

Superior medical company / alpha medical co/advanced medical co / falcon international industries/Corbin supply / IHTA inc/DMZ inc / Allied medical co / AMPEX MEDICAL SUPPLIES / RIVERA MEDICAL SUPPLIES

SUPERIOR MEDICAL SUPPLIES VERSUS SUPERIOR MEDICAL COMPANY LAWSUIT

Lawsuit can be found at

http://www.knobbemedical.com/

Superior medical company / alpha medical co/advanced medical co / falcon international industries/Corbin supply / IHTA inc/DMZ inc / Allied medical co / AMPEX MEDICAL SUPPLIES / RIVERA MEDICAL SUPPLIES

FALCON INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES AKA RIVERA MEDICAL COMPANY AKA AMPEX MEDICAL COMPANY AKA ALLIED MEDICAL COMPANY AKA ADVANCED MEDICAL COMPANY AKA SUPERIOR MEDICAL COMPANY AKA ALPHA MEDICAL COMPANY AKA CORBIN SUPPLY ARE ALL SCAM COMPANIES RAN BY MICHAEL EMORETH ARNOLD AND MICHAEL ALAN DIRKSEN

Moorpark firm's sales tactics spark Better Business Bureau caution
By Stephanie Hoops

The Tri-County Better Business Bureau is cautioning businesses that use latex gloves to be wary of phone calls from the Rivera Medical Co. in Moorpark.

“Make your employees aware to be cautious if you get calls from anyone asking about replenishing their supplies, because what they’re trying to do is trick them into ordering merchandise,” BBB President Rick Copelan said.

No one from Rivera’s staff, including listed owner Mike Arnold, could be located for comment.

The BBB has given the company an F rating after receiving more than a dozen complaints from businesses around the nation alleging Rivera billed them for products not ordered. In many cases, the businesses received unsolicited phone calls from someone offering free trial gloves that were then shipped with $451.50 invoices, according to the BBB.

A Florida podiatrist complained to the BBB that someone from Rivera contacted his staff and misrepresented that it was the doctor’s established vendor. “They tricked our staff into OK’ing the goods, which they claimed were ready to be shipped,” the complaint read. “When we received the goods, we realized this was not our regular vendor and we did not require these goods. We called to clarify the shipment. Mr. William Baxter from Rivera (Medical) Company was very rude, unprofessional and hung up on us.”

Complaints to the BBB indicate Baxter was the “warehouse supervisor” at Rivera, but there is no warehouse at the company’s address, 530 W. Los Angeles Ave., #115-210 in Moorpark. That address belongs to The UPS Store.

A spokesman at UPS said Rivera Medical is an active box holder there.

Rivera, however, has no website, and its phone number has been disconnected.

The city of Moorpark has not issued the company a business license.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Greg Brose deals in consumer protection issues. He said he didn’t have any information about the Rivera matter but noted that in general, “when a business lists a mail-box drop as a business address, the business is frequently trying to hide its true location and may not be responsive to consumer complaints.”

Debra Henderson, procurement officer at a community clinic run by the Ninilchik Tribe in Alaska, said she gets three to four calls a year from businesses using similar tactics — trying to get her clinic to buy supplies it has not ordered and does not want. “These people know how to work the system,” she said.

After someone from Rivera got one of her employees on the phone, Henderson said, the clinic ended up with “cheap” surgical gloves and a bill for $451.50.

Henderson complained to the BBB and hasn’t heard from Rivera since. Now her clinic has implemented a policy that requires all suppliers to speak directly with her.

Accounting departments should be on the lookout, recommends Cortney Cotter, an administrative staff member at a family practice in Sacramento that complained to the BBB about Rivera.

Cotter believes Rivera was hoping her accounting department would blindly pay $163 for a dozen boxes of gloves the practice would normally get at a fraction of the cost. Cotter and other staff members investigated and did not pay, but she was surprised to see in the complaints to the BBB that some medical offices did pay before realizing something wasn’t right.

“We’re really glad we looked into it,” she said.

888-965-8850 replaced 888-428-8567 and 888-857-3945

http://business.ftc.gov/documents/bus27-complying-telemarketing-sales-rule

The law requires that when sellers and telemarketers offer to sell goods or services, they must provide the consumer with material information about the offered goods or services necessary to avoid misleading consumers. The term material means likely to affect someone’s choice of goods or services or decision to make a charitable contribution, or someone’s conduct with regard to a purchase or donation.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued amendments to the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) in 2003, 2008, and 2010. Like the original TSR issued in 1995, the amended Rule gives effect to the Telemarketing and Consumer Fraudand Abuse Prevention Act. This legislation gives the FTC and state attorneys general law enforcement tools to combat telemarketing fraud, gives consumers added privacy protections and defenses against unscrupulous telemarketers, and helps consumers tell the difference between fraudulent and legitimate telemarketing.

One significant amendment to the TSR prohibits calling consumers who have put their phone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry. Another change covers the solicitation of charitable contributions by for-profit telemarketers.

Other key provisions:

*require disclosures of specific information
*prohibit misrepresentations
*limit when telemarketers may call consumers
*require transmission of Caller ID information
*prohibit abandoned outbound calls, subject to a safe harbor
*prohibit unauthorized billing
*set payment restrictions for the sale of certain goods and services

Sellers and Telemarketers Must Disclose Material Information

The Rule requires sellers and telemarketers, whether making outbound calls to consumers or receiving inbound calls from consumers, to provide certain material information before the consumer pays for the goods or services that are the subject of the sales offer. Material information is information that would likely affect a person’s choice of goods or services or the person’s decision to make a charitable contribution. More simply, it is information a consumer needs to make an informed decision about whether to purchase goods or services or make a donation. Sellers and telemarketers may provide the material information either orally or in writing. Failure to provide any of the required information truthfully and in a “clear and conspicuous” manner, before the consumer pays for the goods or services offered, is a deceptive telemarketing act or practice that violates the Rule and subjects a seller or telemarketer to a civil penalty of $16,000 for each violation.