Cuomo Signs Law that Disallows Telemarketing Via Text

     Gov. Andrew Cuomo today signed legislation that seeks to prevent New Yorkers from getting bombarded with telemarketing via text messages.

     Previously, a New York state law that disallowed unwanted telemarketers, who initiated “robocalls,” neglected to include telemarking via text in the legislation.

     Gov. Cuomo has now closed that loophole, and the free reign of telemarketers who send out mass texts to New Yorkers.

     "Our consumer protections need to keep pace with technology and New Yorkers who have long been plagued by the nuisance of annoying calls from telemarketers now have to contend with unwanted texts attempting to sell them things they don't want," said Gov. Cuomo said. "This legislation closes this annoying loophole and will help ensure our laws are modernized to confront the needs of New Yorkers."

     "Aggressive telemarketing has long been an annoyance and potential source of fraud preying upon consumers, so much that we have had to establish a Do-Not-Call registry to keep New Yorkers from being inundated with unwanted and often unscrupulous solicitation,” said state Senator Leroy Comrie. Now that cell phones are as common, if not more than landlines, electronic text messages to our mobile devices have become the newest unwelcomed invasive marketing technique.

     “Consumers should not be burdened with excessive and predatory telemarketing in any form, including text messages.”

(Photo by: Don Pollard / Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo)