OTTAWA and GATINEAU – The CRTC issued a warning Tuesday about illegal calls from individuals who claim that they are calling on behalf of the national Do Not Call List (DNCL) operator.
The Commission said in a statement that the originators of these calls are falsely displaying (spoofing) the national DNCL toll-free phone number, and are claiming that the call recipient's telephone number is about to expire from the national DNCL and must be re-registered over the phone.
“Neither the CRTC nor the National DNCL operator contact Canadians regarding the status of their telephone numbers on the National DNCL”, reads the CRTC’s statement. “In 2014, the CRTC enhanced the privacy of Canadians by making registrations to the National DNCL permanent. This means that there is no need to re-register telephone numbers. Numbers remain on the list, unless an individual specifically requests that it be removed.”
Spoofing is a violation of the unsolicited telecommunication rules, and individuals found in violation can be issued monetary penalties of up to $1,500 per violation, while corporations can be issued penalties of up to $15,000 per violation.
The CRTC reminded any Canadians that receive a call from a representative claiming to be from the national DNCL operator to not provide any personal information, including their telephone numbers, and to make a complaint to the national DNCL or call 1-866-580-DNCL (3625).
