New rules crack down on cold calls with AED 150k fines for firms

ABU DHABI: New telemarketing regulations in the UAE now govern cold calls to protect consumer privacy. Calls are restricted to the hours between 9am and 6pm. Companies must get explicit permission from authorities before making marketing calls and cannot call back on the same day a consumer has ended or declined a call. Additionally, calls are prohibited if a consumer rejects a product or service, and telemarketers must use company-registered numbers, not personal ones. Consumers registered on the Do Not Call Register (DNCR) must not be contacted.

These rules were introduced in response to numerous complaints about frequent, unwanted calls. It took about two years of negotiations to finalize the regulations, resulting in Cabinet Decision No. 56 of 2024.

Violations can lead to severe penalties, including fines up to AED 150,000, suspension of operations, cancellation of licenses, or a ban on marketing services for up to a year. The new rules emphasize that companies must handle telemarketing with care and adhere to high standards of transparency and integrity.

Consumers can file complaints with the relevant authorities based on the nature of the company: the Central Bank for banks, the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) for investment-related issues, and the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) for breaches involving personal phone numbers.

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Enforcement will be strict. Companies must obtain approval to conduct marketing calls, and authorities will take immediate action if consumer complaints lead to confirmed breaches.