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‘We’re Calling About Your Auto Warranty’ – State Fines Company $345K For Unsolicited Calls
November 22, 2020
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has issued an administrative fine of $345,000 for 171 alleged violations against a West Palm Beach-based company conducting unsolicited telephone sales calls to consumers on the “Florida Do Not Call” list.
The FDACS actions follow an investigation into 69 consumer complaints submitted to the Department between September 11, 2019 and March 23, 2020 against Fidelity Mutual Life, Inc. and Turnkey Auto Group, Inc. The complaints claimed that the entity was conducting non-solicited telemarketing calls to market auto warranties directly to consumers, including Florida residents. As a result of the investigation, FDACS determined that Turnkey Auto Group, Inc. had indeed made unsolicited telephonic calls to telephone numbers on the Department’s “Florida Do Not Call” list.
“Businesses allegedly conducting unsolicited calls in disregard of the ‘Florida Do Not Call’ list aren’t just violating consumer trust, they’re violating the law,” said Commissioner Nikki Fried. “
As the state agency responsible for consumer complaints, our Department will continue to investigate all potential violations of the ‘Florida Do Not Call’ list to hold bad actors accountable for their actions.”
Want to add your number to the Florida Do Not List or file a complaint? Click or tap here.
Comments
32 Responses to “‘We’re Calling About Your Auto Warranty’ – State Fines Company $345K For Unsolicited Calls”
I Have 3 vehicles…….I asked them once which vehicle was about to expire,,,,,a lot of back pedaling & couldn’t tell me which one !!!!
I like too tell them I wanna sign up for everything! I just have too get my credit card. I than leave them hanging on the line. My record for one sales rep is 4:18 min lol. They waste my time I waste theirs!
Should have been fined a whole lot more. I got six calls from these people in one day one time. Still get calls every single day. I have cuss these people out numerous times told them to put my number on their do not call list have even added my number to the fcc do not call registry they still call. What good is to have a do not call registry if it’s not enforced.
Glad to see the state finally doing something useful. Next, how about saving lives with sane mask and social distancing rules?
If I don’t recognize the phone #. I don’t answer. If It’s important they will leave a message or call back later.
I’ve had two calls today for vehicle warranty stuff. It’ll never stop.
now all the government has to do is make them pay the fine. I doubt there is any way to enforce the collection of the fine. These companies have no assets that can be taken to satisfy the debt, and even if they do it will be moved out of country. I am still getting the same calls so I don’t see any change.
I get the ones about the auto warranty and the social security one, and them credit card one. The newest one is from supposedly Gulf Power that says I’m three months behind on my bill and offer to help take care of it. SORRY; I don’t have Gulf Power!
Public execution would be a better deterrent.
Got a call demanding payment on delinquent student loans.” Hate to break your heart hoss but I never went to college.” I couldn’t believe that the moron wanted to argue that I did! My question would be if the state fines where does the money go for OUR inconvenience?
They just ghost numbers from your area that you normally would get calls from and call using it, so blocking the number doesn’t work if it’s a number you need to answer like a doctor or a job.
@telyman
That is genius
Just as bad as the people calling about my timeshare that I got rid of 20 years ago.
Somehow these people are using active phone numbers as well. Several times I have gotten into an argument with complete strangers who say they are returning my call , and they swear that I called them. I try to explain to them that’s impossible that I called them because my phone has been sitting on the table unused for hours.
When they called me the other day I told them I dont have a car but was very interested in a quote for my horse &buggy well they hung up on me guess they don’t insure that what a bummer
Often, when I have time to mess with the caller, I’ll present them with some type of inane problem that I need help with such as can they call me a tow truck as I am stuck out in the woods, or, I am caught up in a tree and my phone battery is weak. I have played my harmonica for them to see how they like it. Political questions always guarantees a hang up. My wife tries to explain to me at least they have a job.
Besides the number of these kinds of calls, what gets me is the way the calls come in showing as a local 850 number! No wonder we are going to have to deal with another area code next year because they are running out of 850 numbers.
We gave up answering phone calls if they are not in our contact list. If it is important enough, they will leave a message. If they don’t leave a message they’re put on the blocked caller list. Probably one out of fifty calls leave a message. Then I can determine whether to block them or put them on the contact list
We also have gotten these calls both on the landline and on our cells AND in the mail. They want to also cover my Jeep. We’ve never own a Jeep!
I have a phone with a call blocker on it. Except for the nuisance of the phone ringing, I don’t talk to them.
If you call a number that has been disconnected or is no longer in service you will hear 3 short tones, “doo…dah…dee”. Guess what the telemarketers’ software does when it detects these 3 tones at the beginning of your answering machine message? It thinks it has reached a line that is disconnected or is no longer in service. So, it disconnects and does NOT log your phone number as a working number.
Adding these three tones to your outgoing message should help in the fight. The tones are available on line. Google “telephone disconnected tones” and play them at the beginning of your new answering machine message. You might want to add, “Please ignore the tones,” to your message so as not to confuse your Mom when she calls. Anything said following the tones will not matter.
This is how I deal with them. Put your phone in “Do not disturb” mode. Then adjust your contact settings to only receive calls from your contact list. Now you must have everyone you want to reach you in your contact list. Family, Doctors Office, Work Etc. It works like a charm. I haven’t had to deal with those bums in the last few years.
I got a call yesterday telling me me social security number had been “canceled” and that I need to take urgent action. LOL
The key is to troll them. Stay on the phone as long as you can, give all false information ask questions. Go as long as possible and take up as much of their time as possible. Then at some point say something derogatory or disgusting and scream loud into phone.
So THANKFUL for this. They call NON STOP!
When I answered the other day, I asked could she cover my JEEP? “What year?
It’s a CJ, 85 model, she hung up on me! Talk about rude!
Add to the list the ones who call offering “Free Braces” through Medicare.
Leaches out there preying on people.
Know it’s ‘just a job’ for the callers but their representing scams shameful.
Have more Blocked Numbers on phone than legit ones.
Now they need to do something about all the “credit card services” calls. We get more of them than the car warranty calls.
I’m sick of them calling everyday
THANK YOU !
I’m sick of getting the calls, so is my wife. Their making us screen our calls now because they use different phone numbers every time.
The State should be returning some of the imposed fines to the consumers who filed the complaints and had to deal with these telemarketers.