Dubai: Have you ever received a call from an unknown number, thinking it might be a colleague or relative, only to find it is a telemarketer offering a product or service? Since August 27, this scenario is illegal, with the new telemarketing regulations introduced by the UAE’s Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA).
In fact, the TDRA has encourage people to report such calls. Here’s how you can do it.
How to report marketing calls from personal numbers
If you receive an unsolicited marketing call from a personal mobile number send ‘Report 05xxxxxxxx’ to 1012 to report the number via SMS.
What the law says
Under the recent Cabinet resolution on telemarketing regulations, individuals are prohibited from making marketing calls using their personal fixed or mobile numbers, even if they are offering products or services they represent. Telemarketing calls are now only allowed from local phone numbers registered under a company's commercial licence.
Penalties for using a personal mobile number for cold calls
Violating these regulations comes with significant penalties. The fine for making calls from unregistered numbers is Dh75,000. Additionally, using a personal number for telemarketing can result in a Dh5,000 fine and service disconnection for the first offence.
Repeat offences can lead to fines of up to Dh50,000 and a potential ban on obtaining services from licensed telecommunications companies in the UAE.
Wondering why company names appear on your phone?
If you can see a company name flashing on your screen instead of a regular landline or mobile number, it is due to the ‘Kashif’ feature, introduced in 2022 by the TDRA. This feature empowers phone users by displaying the company name, allowing them to decide whether to answer the call. This minimises the risk of anonymous or misleading calls.
All private companies and institutions are required to use the Kashif feature when contacting customers.
