Kurt Schroeder, an attorney, is deputy chief, Telecommunications Consumers Division, Enforcement Bureau, of the Federal Communications Commission.
Replacement Contractor: Do you have any idea what percentage of the national do-not-call registry complaints involve home improvement companies?
Kurt Schroeder: We tend to look at the parties that have complaints filed against them and prioritize that according to the number of complaints. We aren't looking at particular industries.
RC: Do complaints stem from a lack of awareness or a deliberate effort to evade the law?
K.S.: Mostly, we've seen cases where the company isn't aware of, or is under a mistaken impression of, what the law requires.
RC: How would a consumer prove that a company contacted him illegally?
K.S.: We've often relied on sworn statements from consumers. They certainly don't have to have any physical evidence, like a recording. Although we've had consumers take photos of their caller ID.
RC: If a consumer notifies your department, where does it go from there?
K.S.: The complaint goes to our consumer governmental affairs bureau. We look for other, similar, complaints. Any problematic number is an appropriate candidate for enforcement action.
RC: What action do you take?
