UAE Tightens Telemarketing Regulations: Fines of Up to Dh150,000 Announced
The company needs permission from the right authority before it can do telemarketing.
The UAE government has made stricter rules for telemarketing through phone calls, introducing new controls and measures. Those who break the rules could get warnings or fines up to Dh150,000.
Starting from mid-August 2024, people who break the rules will face penalties, like warnings or fines up to Dh150,000. Companies that break the rules might face even harsher penalties, such as stopping their business partially or completely, cancelling their license, removing them from the commercial registry, or stopping their phone services for up to one year.
Now, marketing companies need to get permission from the right authority before they can do telemarketing.
Individuals can’t use their personal phones for marketing calls. All marketing calls have to come from phones registered to the licensed telemarketing company.
Marketing calls are only allowed between 9am and 6pm, and it’s not allowed to call numbers that are on the Do Not Call Registry (DNCR).
If someone says no to a service or product during the first call, the company can’t call them again. And if someone doesn’t answer or hangs up, the company can only call once a day.
Consumers can complain to the right authority if they think someone broke these rules and bothered them with marketing calls.
In May, the Cabinet decided to regulate cold calling. These new rules from the Ministry of Economy and the TDRA are meant to protect consumers from annoying telemarketing and make marketing better overall in the UAE.
