CIPP/US Study Guide
Chapter 11: Telecommunications and Marketing

TSR Rules on How Calls May Be Made

The TSR sets detailed conduct rules: telemarketers may call only between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m., must scrub against the Do Not Call list, display caller ID, identify themselves and what they sell, and keep records.

The TSR imposes detailed obligations on how covered organizations conduct calls. Many requirements arose from a history of intrusive and fraudulent callers.

  • Call only between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.
  • Screen and scrub names against the national Do Not Call list
  • Display caller ID information
  • Identify themselves and what they are selling
  • Disclose all material information and terms
  • Comply with special rules for prizes and promotions
  • Respect requests to call back (and maintain an entity-specific suppression list)
  • Retain records
  • Comply with special rules for automated dialers
Internal suppression lists

Independent of the national registry, the TSR prohibits any seller or telemarketer from calling a consumer who has asked that company not to call again. Each must keep an Entity-specific suppression list.

Key terms - quick answers

What is “Entity-specific suppression list”?
An internal Do Not Call list a seller/telemarketer must maintain to honor a consumer's request not to be called again by that company.