Broadcast faxing and the law

[cat]

trymixdiver and other victims of junk faxing: you don't have to put up with it nor do you have to turn off your fax. Document everything, especially the breakdowns and toner expense (and don't forget your hourly rate for dealing with the junk) then run, don't walk to...

the FCC's junk fax page. There's a form in there somewhere...
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/unwantedfaxes.html

There's a pretty good overview of what you can do about telemarketers, junk mail and other forms of junk(including faxes) here:
http://www.junkbusters.com/self.html

For a bit more information on on pertinent legislation in California, see this page:
http://www.spamlaws.com/state/ca1.html

They also have a nice set of links:
http://www.spamlaws.com/links.html

Believe it or not - the post office also has some jurisdiction here:
http://www.usps.com/postalinspectors/foneregs.htm


Scubababy - not replying to the fax because it confirms that the number *is* for a fax unfortunately does not work here (although it does make a difference with email spam). Your fax machine itself sends a confirmation code to tell the other fax that communication has been established and to start sending.

Laws in other countries vary - if there's someone else with the same problem outside the US, feel free to PM me and I'll see what I can dig up.


Best of luck and maybe let us know how it goes? cat

 

[trymixdiver]

thanks for the ammo cat

that is a big help!

Andy

 

[DivePartner1]

to junk fax, and it has civil penalties. This means you can sue for statutory penalites. Hooters was on the receiving end of a multi-million dollar judgment for doing this within the last several years. Boy were they surprised. Federal laws apply to them too.

My team has come up with a form nasty-gram that we send when we get these. If you'd like I can send you a copy when I get back to may office near the end of the month. Or you could have fun this and devise you're own citing the statue noted on this thread.

 

[Dee]

I don't have a business fax number and don't have a registered business name. But with 24hrs. of buying a fax machine and hooking it up to our home phone, I was getting junk faxs. They have to be sending it out to all phone numbers and those with fax machines will pick up the signal.

I was able to just switch mine to manual only but business' can't or don't want to do that.

 

[miesemer]

But tape the five black sheets together and once you start them feeding, tape them end to end to make one big loop. Let it run overnight if it's a local call.

 

[trymixdiver]

thanks for all the info.

I have one further question reguarding what fax.com said to me.

he stated our number had been removed in sept of 2002 and that if we are still getting faxes to the # then they are being forwarded to our fax.

This doesnt make sense to me. For the IT ppl out there, is he BSing me or what, is that a possibility ? I feel he is trying to cover his a** and hoping i dont know my fax from a hole in the ground.

just so you know, we are a small office, 1 fax number

 

[cat]

is don't do anything that could get *you* into trouble or turn you into the bad guy. :nono:

miesemer once bubbled...
But tape the five black sheets together and once you start them feeding, tape them end to end to make one big loop. Let it run overnight if it's a local call.

This looks awfully tempting. So does email-bombing those who send spam email. It will probably feel good - for a little while... BUT that turns *them* into victims and puts you in the wrong, eroding the moral and legal high ground you have.
It should also be noted that it's possible to spoof email addresses and, if they are very clever, fax numbers as well (or they may be using a legitimate public faxing service - I send mine via the local post office). This means you may find yourself wreaking havoc on the wrong person.
Horrible as it feels to say this - keep your head and complain (this originally read "female dog") to the appropriate government agencies (also local representatives and any small-business organizations that you belong to). Complain to the phone company, too - depending on where you are and who you deal with you may be able to block the incoming fax number for free. These people all WORK for you - or they ought to - you're paying them, right?

As for the claim made by fax.com - what does the guy say when confronted with a recent fax sent from their number? In the case of anti-junk mail lists well - it does take time to get the things distributed but if this is an internal list within fax.com, I'd say he's covering his rear, 'cause the "forwarding" excuse doesn't get past Occam. (If they are being "forwarded to you", then by whom? Who out there is going to bother forwarding their fax calls to you? Wouldn't this information appear near the top of the first page somewhere (depends on your fax machine))? JMHO cat

 

[Ontario Diver]

trymixdiver once bubbled...
For the IT ppl out there, is he BSing me or what, is that a possibility ? I feel he is trying to cover his a** and hoping i dont know my fax from a hole in the ground.

the number that he is faxing to has to be on the first page of the fax..... check out the top header line and see if it has your number or another number - other than that - yes it could be forwarded from another number.

 

[trymixdiver]

One fax # shows up at the top on the majority of the spamm we get, some times it lists ours and theres but always theres.

Andy

i will find out more in the morning when i call back.

 

[Dectek]

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