FTC Amends Telemarketing Sales Rule

Earlier this month FTC issued a Final Rule amending the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) by extending telemarketing protections afforded to businesses.  This action was part of the FTC’s review of the TSR and its subpart, the Do-Not-Call Registry.  The FTC rule has increased the record keeping requirement regarding what telemarketers and sellers must include in records of their telemarketing activity, including extending the time period for record retention from two years to five.   

Further, the Final Rule extends the prohibition on material misrepresentations and false or misleading statements to the context of full business-to-business telemarketing.

The Final Rule takes effect on May 16, 2024, except that the expanded provisions regarding retention of information about telemarketing calls do not take effect until October 15, 2024.