Bronson Files Lawsuit Against Company For Violating "Do Not Call" Law
For Information, Contact:
Terence McElroy
(850) 488-3022
July 1, 2008
TALLAHASSEE – Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson announced today that he has taken legal action against a Central Florida company for violating Florida's "Do Not Call" law.
A lawsuit filed in Orange County Circuit Court alleges that Whetstone Investment Network, of Kissimmee, which does business as Central Florida Water, made at least 7 calls to Florida residents on the state's "Do Not Call" list between last fall and earlier this year. In addition, the company is accused of playing a recorded message when its telemarketing phone calls were answered, which is a separate violation of law.
"This company has repeatedly called consumers on the "Do Not Call" list, intruding on their privacy despite the fact that the citizens went to the effort to get their phone numbers placed on the list," Bronson said. "The message is that this activity will not be tolerated."
The legal action seeks an injunction prohibiting Whetstone Investment Network from making any future calls to residents on the list and fines of up to $10,000 for each of the calls it made to prohibited phone numbers.
Bronson's department has collected or obtained judgments of more than $1.5 million against companies that have called residents on the list, and several such legal actions are pending in courts throughout the state.
The Commissioner encourages Floridians to join the “Do Not Call” program, which prohibits most commercial telemarketers from calling numbers on the list. For more information about the program, consumers can call the department's toll-free hotline - 1 800 HELP FLA (435-7352) - or visit the Division of Consumer Services' website at www.800helpfla.com.
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