Telemarketers making unsolicited calls may soon have to pay heavy fines to victim consumers

Vendors and telemarketing firms who contact customers without their consent may soon be subject to severe fines from the people they've harassed.

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According to reputable sources, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs has started a survey on imposing penalties on companies who engage in unwanted commercial communication.

An unnamed Ministry official informed ANI that the idea has been floated that those who make unwanted phone calls might face fines of up to Rs 100 each. Government coffers will not benefit from the money, but unsolicited call recipients would.

While TRAI has set clear guidelines on unwanted communication, customers still get calls from telemarketers and businesses who do not have their consent. A DND (Do Not Disturb) registry has at least partially alleviated the issue of unsolicited calls and text messages.

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs has established a cap on service charges imposed by hotels and restaurants. It has also lately taken action against several ed-tech businesses for promoting fraudulent reviews.

(With inputs from ANI)