Telemarketing Sales Rule

Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR Part 310 AGENCY: Federal Trade Commission (“Commission” or “FTC”). ACTION: Final rule amendments. SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission adopts amendments to the Telemarketing Sales Rule (“TSR” or “Rule”) that address the telemarketing of debt relief services. These amendments define debt relief services, prohibit debt relief providers from collecting fees until after services have been provided, require specific disclosures of material information about offered debt relief services, prohibit specific misrepresentations about material aspects of debt relief services, and extend the TSR’s coverage to include inbound calls made to debt relief companies in response to general media advertisements. The amendments are necessary to protect consumers from deceptive or abusive practices in the telemarketing of debt relief services. DATES: These final amendments are effective on September 27, 2010, except for § 310.4(a)(5), which is effective on October 27, 2010. ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of these amendments to the TSR and this Statement of Basis and Purpose (“SBP”) should be sent to: Public Reference Branch, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Room 130, Washington, D.C. 20580. The complete record of this proceeding is also available at that address. Relevant portions of the proceeding, including the final amendments to the TSR and SBP, are available …