Money Minute: When are robocalls illegal?
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — When are robocalls legal and when are they illegal?
KDKA-TV money editor Jon Delano explains in this week's Money Minute.
We all hate them; those robocalls that tie up our cell phones and landlines. If you answer the phone and get a recorded message, that's a robocall.
A robocall designed to sell you something is illegal unless you have given the company written permission to call you that way. Of course, it's possible you've given permission, and don't know it, because you've checked a box "yes" somewhere on the internet.
Some robocalls are legal, like informational calls telling you your airline flight is canceled or health care providers reminding you about appointments or prescriptions. Also legal are political calls on behalf of candidates and messages from charities.
Call-blocking solutions can help reduce robocalls, and you can report illegal calls selling something without your permission to the Federal Trade Commission.