Attorney General's News Release

October 26, 2006

DirecTV among four telemarketers to pay $100,000 total for No Call violations, Nixon announces

St. Louis, Mo. — Four businesses — including the nation's largest provider of satellite TV services — will pay a total of $100,000 for calling Missourians on the state's No Call list, Attorney General Jay Nixon announced today. Nixon took action after consumers on the list complained to his office that the businesses made telemarketing calls to them in violation of the No Call law.

DIRECTV Inc. of El Segundo, Calif., will pay $50,000 — the most by any of the four businesses — to the state for making calls marketing satellite dish equipment and services to Missourians on the No Call list. DirecTV is the largest provider of direct broadcast satellite services in the country.

“Five years into the Missouri No Call law, my office remains committed to the aggressive pursuit of those businesses that still violate it,” Nixon said. “Thanks to our track record of tough enforcement of the law and collecting more than $1.8 million from telemarketers, more than 2.3 million Missouri families need not worry about annoying telemarketing calls.”

In addition to DirecTV, today's announcement includes action against:

• Blue Sky Network Corp. of Reno, Nev., which will pay $30,000 for making calls to consumers, surveying their interests in real estate;
• Trio Mortgage of St. Louis, which will pay $5,000 for making calls marketing mortgage loans and related services to consumers; and
• The Debt School of Weston, Fla., which will pay $15,000 for making calls marketing debt counseling services to consumers.

In addition to the penalties, the orders from the St. Louis City Circuit Court require each business to obtain current copies of the No Call list and comply with the law in the future. Since the No Call law went into effect on July 1, 2001, Nixon's office has collected $1,813,500 in penalties from businesses who violated the law.

More than 2.3 million residential phone numbers are currently registered on the No Call list maintained by the Attorney General's Office.

“The good news for those Missourians not yet on the list is that it's never too late to place your phone number on the No Call list,” Nixon said. “The process to sign up is quick, easy and free.”

Missourians who do not have their home phone numbers on the No Call list may register those numbers at any time at not cost. They may register online at ago.mo.gov or by calling toll-free 1-866-NOCALL1 (1-866-662-2551).

The No Call list is updated quarterly and made available for telemarketers to purchase. The deadline for those not yet on the list to sign up and be covered under the Jan. 1 update is Nov. 1, Nixon said.

Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to Press Secretary John Fougere.

E-mail      Phone: 573-751-8844         Fax: 573-751-5818