HOLD THAT CALL

Posted on 04/22/2016 | About Florida State

Florida based Caribbean Cruise Line has been at the centre of complaints filed by the Federal Trade Commission and ten states for allegedly violating the Tennessee and federal Do Not Call Law in a campaign that ran from October 2011 to July 2012.

The company is said to have earned millions of dollars calling on up to 15 million people a day by using political survey robocalls. 

Consumers heard a pre-recorded message supposedly from “John from Political Opinions of America,” who told them they had been “carefully selected” to participate in a 30-second research survey, after which they could “press one” to receive a two-day cruise to the Bahamas. 

Once the survey was complete the respondents pressed one for a cruise and were connected to a live telemarketer working on behalf of Caribbean Cruise Line to market its cruise vacations. 

Telemarketers also sold pre-boarding hotels, cruise excursions, enhanced accommodations, and other travel packages. 

“Marketers who know the ropes understand you can’t steer clear of the do not call rules by tacking a political or survey call onto a sales pitch,” said Jessica Rich, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. 

“Anyone who assists in making illegal calls is also on the hook.” 

The company was ordered to pay a fine in the amount of $500,000. Tennessee will receive $26,213 of that.