The CRTC announces the result of its telemarketing investigations of a number of air duct cleaning companies

Four air duct cleaning companies pay $55,000 for violating the Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules

OTTAWA, AND GATINEAU, QC, March 24, 2015 /CNW/ - The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) today announced that four air duct cleaning companies paid a total of $55,000 as part of a settlement following violations to the Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules. The CRTC also issued notices of violation accompanied by monetary penalties totalling $94,000 to five other air duct cleaning companies. Notices of violation and warning letters were also sent to seven foreign call centres.

In response to complaints filed by Canadians, the CRTC launched several investigations and determined that nine companies, based in the Greater Toronto Area, had made unsolicited telemarketing calls without being registered with the National Do Not Call List (DNCL) operator and without having purchased a subscription. Four of the nine companies agreed to pay a monetary penalty and to cease making non-compliant telemarketing calls. Those companies are:

• Bridge Home Services Inc. – $6,000
• Cambridge Heating Services – $23,000
• HR Home Services – $3,000
• Top Line Air Duct Cleaning Inc. – $23,000

The five other companies were issued a notice of violation and an administrative monetary penalty, and have 30 days to submit comments. They are:

• Aqua Duct Cleaning Services – $9,000
• Goodlife Home Services Inc. – $16,000
• Kareem Duct Cleaning – $15,000
• N. Bro Transport Inc. – $14,000
• Toronto Breeze Air Duct Cleaning Services Inc. – $40,000

All of these companies used the services of foreign call centres. The CRTC issued notices of violation and warning letters to seven call centres located in Pakistan, India and the U.S. As part of the investigations of the calls centres in Pakistan, the CRTC worked in close collaboration with the Karachi local police through the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

The CRTC reminds telemarketers that it is their responsibility to adhere to the Rules, whether they make the calls themselves or through a third party in Canada or abroad.  

The CRTC is continuing to enhance its monitoring activities to ensure that telemarketers follow the Rules, and to reduce the number of unwanted calls to Canadians. The CRTC can discuss corrective actions with individuals, firms or organizations engaged in telemarketing, which may lead to a settlement that includes an administrative monetary penalty and other corrective measures. The CRTC can also issue warnings and citations, conduct inspections and issue notices of violation.

To date, the CRTC has issued monetary penalties worth over $6 million, payable to the Receiver General for Canada, and other penalties worth $741,000.

About the National Do Not Call List

The National DNCL was launched in 2008 to protect Canadians from unsolicited telecommunications. Canadians may register permanently on the List at no charge. Over 12.8 million numbers are currently registered on the List.

Canadians can register their numbers, verify whether a number is on the List or file a complaint about a telemarketer by calling 1-866-580-DNCL (3625) or visiting www.lnnte-dncl.gc.ca.

Quick Facts

• Four air duct cleaning companies have paid a total of $55,000 as part of a settlement for violations of the Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules.
• The CRTC issued monetary penalties totalling $94,000 to five other air duct cleaning companies.
• The CRTC issued notices of violation and warning letters to seven foreign call centres.
• Gary Lapstra, representative of the National Air Duct Cleaners Association, contacted the CRTC to thank it on behalf of the association and inform it that the number of complaints it received recently had decreased significantly.
• The CRTC continues to follow up on alleged violations of the Rules by other companies offering air duct cleaning services.
• The Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules are a set of strict rules that individuals, companies and organizations must follow when making telemarketing calls.
• The CRTC is committed to protecting Canadians and is continuing to enhance its monitoring to ensure that all telemarketers follow the Rules.
• To date, the CRTC's enforcement efforts have yielded over $6 million in monetary penalties.

Quote

"The telemarketing calls made by these air duct cleaning companies generated a large number of complaints by Canadians. The investigations were lengthy and labour-intensive given that there were numerous companies and they used foreign call centres that sometimes used caller identification spoofing. We are very happy with the results. We appreciate the assistance we received from the Karachi local police and the RCMP in our investigations of the call centres in Pakistan. We are pleased to report that four of the nine companies cooperated with the investigations and have voluntarily ceased making unsolicited telemarketing calls to Canadians."

Manon Bombardier, the CRTC's Chief Compliance and Enforcement Officer

Associated link

Notices of violation

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SOURCE Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

Media relations: Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone]; General inquiries: Tel.: [phone], TDD: 819-994-0423, Fax: [phone], Toll-free No.: 1-877-249-CRTC (2782), TDD - Toll-free No.: 1-877-909-CRTC (2782)

Related Links

http://www.crtc.gc.ca