Source: https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/USCODE-2010-title15/html/USCODE-2010-title15-chap87.htm
Timestamp: 2018-04-26 12:02:08
Document Index: 422191753

Matched Legal Cases: ['§2', '§1011', '§1', '§2', '§3', '§4', '§3', '§1011', '§1100', '§1100', '§1011', '§6103', '§4', '§1100', '§1100', '§6104', '§5', '§1100', '§1100', '§6105', '§6', '§1100', '§1100', '§6106', '§7', '§1011', '§6107', '§9', '§6108', '§10']

CHAPTER 87 - TELEMARKETING AND CONSUMER FRAUD AND ABUSE PREVENTION
CHAPTER 87—TELEMARKETING AND CONSUMER FRAUD AND ABUSE PREVENTION
Administration and applicability of chapter.
(Pub. L. 103–297, §2, Aug. 16, 1994, 108 Stat. 1545.)
Pub. L. 107–56, title X, §1011(a), Oct. 26, 2001, 115 Stat. 396, provided that: “This section [amending sections 6102 and 6106 of this title and sections 917 and 2325 of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure] may be cited as the ‘Crimes Against Charitable Americans Act of 2001’.”
Pub. L. 106–534, §1, Nov. 22, 2000, 114 Stat. 2555, provided that: “This Act [enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and section 3732 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare] may be cited as the ‘Protecting Seniors From Fraud Act’.”
Section 1 of Pub. L. 103–297 provided that: “This Act [enacting this chapter and section 9b of Title 7, Agriculture, and amending section 52 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act’.”
Pub. L. 106–534, §2, Nov. 22, 2000, 114 Stat. 2555, provided that: “Congress makes the following findings:
“(2) Our Nation's elderly are too frequently the victims of violent crime, property crime, and consumer and telemarketing fraud.
Pub. L. 106–534, §3, Nov. 22, 2000, 114 Stat. 2556, provided that:
Pub. L. 106–534, §4, Nov. 22, 2000, 114 Stat. 2556, provided that:
(3) The Commission shall include in such rules respecting other abusive telemarketing acts or practices—
The Commission shall prescribe the rules under subsection (a) of this section within 365 days after August 16, 1994. Such rules shall be prescribed in accordance with section 553 of title 5.
Any violation of any rule prescribed under subsection (a) of this section shall be treated as a violation of a rule under section 57a of this title regarding unfair or deceptive acts or practices.
Except as provided in subparagraph (B), not later than 6 months after the effective date of rules promulgated by the Federal Trade Commission under subsection (a) of this section, the Securities and Exchange Commission shall promulgate, or require any national securities exchange or registered securities association to promulgate, rules substantially similar to such rules to prohibit deceptive and other abusive telemarketing acts or practices by persons described in paragraph (2).
The Securities and Exchange Commission is not required to promulgate a rule under subparagraph (A) if it determines that—
(i) Federal securities laws or rules adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder provide protection from deceptive and other abusive telemarketing by persons described in paragraph (2) substantially similar to that provided by rules promulgated by the Federal Trade Commission under subsection (a) of this section; or
The rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under paragraph (1)(A) shall apply to a broker, dealer, transfer agent, municipal securities dealer, municipal securities broker, government securities broker, government securities dealer, investment adviser or investment company, or any individual associated with a broker, dealer, transfer agent, municipal securities dealer, municipal securities broker, government securities broker, government securities dealer, investment adviser or investment company. The rules promulgated by the Federal Trade Commission under subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to persons described in the preceding sentence.
(i) the terms “broker”, “dealer”, “transfer agent”, “municipal securities dealer”, “municipal securities broker”, “government securities broker”, and “government securities dealer” have the meanings given such terms by paragraphs (4), (5), (25), (30), (31), (43), and (44) of section 78c(a) of this title;
(ii) the term “investment adviser” has the meaning given such term by section 80b–2(a)(11) of this title; and
(iii) the term “investment company” has the meaning given such term by section 80a–3(a) of this title.
The rules promulgated by the Federal Trade Commission under subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to persons described in section 9b(1) of title 7.
(Pub. L. 103–297, §3, Aug. 16, 1994, 108 Stat. 1545; Pub. L. 107–56, title X, §1011(b)(1), (2), Oct. 26, 2001, 115 Stat. 396; Pub. L. 111–203, title X, §1100C(a), July 21, 2010, 124 Stat. 2110.)
Pub. L. 111–203, title X, §§1100C(a), 1100H, July 21, 2010, 124 Stat. 2110, 2113, provided that, effective on the designated transfer date, this section is amended by striking subsections (b) and (c) and inserting the following:
“(b) Rulemaking authority
“The Commission shall have authority to prescribe rules under subsection (a), in accordance with section 553 of title 5. In prescribing a rule under this section that relates to the provision of a consumer financial product or service that is subject to the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010, including any enumerated consumer law thereunder, the Commission shall consult with the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection regarding the consistency of a proposed rule with standards, purposes, or objectives administered by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.
“(c) Violations
“Any violation of any rule prescribed under subsection (a)—
“(1) shall be treated as a violation of a rule under section 57a of this title regarding unfair or deceptive acts or practices; and
“(2) that is committed by a person subject to the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 shall be treated as a violation of a rule under section 1031 of that Act regarding unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices.”
2001—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 107–56, §1011(b)(1), inserted “which shall include fraudulent charitable solicitations, and” before “which may include”.
§6103. Actions by States
Whenever a civil action has been instituted by or on behalf of the Commission for violation of any rule prescribed under section 6102 of this title, no State may, during the pendency of such action instituted by or on behalf of the Commission, institute a civil action under subsection (a) or (f)(2) of this section against any defendant named in the complaint in such action for violation of any rule as alleged in such complaint.
Any civil action brought under subsection (a) of this section in a district court of the United States may be brought in the district in which the defendant is found, is an inhabitant, or transacts business or wherever venue is proper under section 1391 of title 28. Process in such an action may be served in any district in which the defendant is an inhabitant or in which the defendant may be found.
(Pub. L. 103–297, §4, Aug. 16, 1994, 108 Stat. 1548; Pub. L. 111–203, title X, §1100C(b), July 21, 2010, 124 Stat. 2111.)
Pub. L. 111–203, title X, §§1100C(b), 1100H, July 21, 2010, 124 Stat. 2111, 2113, provided that, effective on the designated transfer date, subsection (d) of this section is amended by inserting after “Commission” each place that term appears the following: “or the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection”. See Effective Date of 2010 Amendment note below.
§6104. Actions by private persons
Any person adversely affected by any pattern or practice of telemarketing which violates any rule of the Commission under section 6102 of this title, or an authorized person acting on such person's behalf, may, within 3 years after discovery of the violation, bring a civil action in an appropriate district court of the United States against a person who has engaged or is engaging in such pattern or practice of telemarketing if the amount in controversy exceeds the sum or value of $50,000 in actual damages for each person adversely affected by such telemarketing. Such an action may be brought to enjoin such telemarketing, to enforce compliance with any rule of the Commission under section 6102 of this title, to obtain damages, or to obtain such further and other relief as the court may deem appropriate.
The plaintiff shall serve prior written notice of the action upon the Commission and provide the Commission with a copy of its complaint, except in any case where such prior notice is not feasible, in which case the person shall serve such notice immediately upon instituting such action. The Commission shall have the right (A) to intervene in the action, (B) upon so intervening, to be heard on all matters arising therein, and (C) to file petitions for appeal.
(c) Action by Commission
Whenever a civil action has been instituted by or on behalf of the Commission for violation of any rule prescribed under section 6102 of this title, no person may, during the pendency of such action instituted by or on behalf of the Commission, institute a civil action against any defendant named in the complaint in such action for violation of any rule as alleged in such complaint.
(d) Cost and fees
The court, in issuing any final order in any action brought under subsection (a) of this section, may award costs of suit and reasonable fees for attorneys and expert witnesses to the prevailing party.
Nothing in this section shall restrict any right which any person may have under any statute or common law.
(f) Venue; service of process
(Pub. L. 103–297, §5, Aug. 16, 1994, 108 Stat. 1549; Pub. L. 111–203, title X, §1100C(c), July 21, 2010, 124 Stat. 2111.)
Pub. L. 111–203, title X, §§1100C(c), 1100H, July 21, 2010, 124 Stat. 2111, 2113, provided that, effective on the designated transfer date, subsection (c) of this section is amended by inserting after “Commission” each place that term appears the following: “or the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection”. See Effective Date of 2010 Amendment note below.
§6105. Administration and applicability of chapter
Except as otherwise provided in sections 6102(d), 6102(e), 6103, and 6104 of this title, this chapter shall be enforced by the Commission under the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.). Consequently, no activity which is outside the jurisdiction of that Act shall be affected by this chapter.
The Commission shall prevent any person from violating a rule of the Commission under section 6102 of this title in the same manner, by the same means, and with the same jurisdiction, powers, and duties as though all applicable terms and provisions of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.) were incorporated into and made a part of this chapter. Any person who violates such rule shall be subject to the penalties and entitled to the privileges and immunities provided in the Federal Trade Commission Act in the same manner, by the same means, and with the same jurisdiction, power, and duties as though all applicable terms and provisions of the Federal Trade Commission Act were incorporated into and made a part of this chapter.
Nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed to limit the authority of the Commission under any other provision of law.
(Pub. L. 103–297, §6, Aug. 16, 1994, 108 Stat. 1549; Pub. L. 111–203, title X, §1100C(d), July 21, 2010, 124 Stat. 2111.)
Addition of Subsection (d)
Pub. L. 111–203, title X, §§1100C(d), 1100H, July 21, 2010, 124 Stat. 2111, 2113, provided that, effective on the designated transfer date, this section is amended by adding at the end the following:
“(d) Enforcement by Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection
“Except as otherwise provided in sections 6102(d), 6102(e), 6103, and 6104 of this title, and subject to subtitle B of the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010, this chapter shall be enforced by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection under subtitle E of the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010, with respect to the offering or provision of a consumer financial product or service subject to that Act.”
§6106. Definitions
(1) The term “attorney general” means the chief legal officer of a State.
(4) The term “telemarketing” means a plan, program, or campaign which is conducted to induce purchases of goods or services, or a charitable contribution, donation, or gift of money or any other thing of value, by use of one or more telephones and which involves more than one interstate telephone call. The term does not include the solicitation of sales through the mailing of a catalog which—
(Pub. L. 103–297, §7, Aug. 16, 1994, 108 Stat. 1550; Pub. L. 107–56, title X, §1011(b)(3), Oct. 26, 2001, 115 Stat. 396.)
2001—Par. (4). Pub. L. 107–56 inserted “, or a charitable contribution, donation, or gift of money or any other thing of value,” after “services” in introductory provisions.
§6107. Enforcement of orders
Subject to subsections (b) and (c) of this section, the Federal Trade Commission may bring a criminal contempt action for violations of orders of the Commission obtained in cases brought under section 53(b) of this title.
An action authorized by subsection (a) of this section may be brought by the Federal Trade Commission only after, and pursuant to, the appointment by the Attorney General of an attorney employed by the Commission, as a special assistant United States Attorney.
A special assistant United States Attorney may be appointed under subsection (b) of this section upon the request of the Federal Trade Commission or the court which has entered the order for which contempt is sought or upon the Attorney General's own motion.
The authority of the Federal Trade Commission to bring a criminal contempt action under subsection (a) of this section expires 2 years after the date of the first promulgation of rules under section 6102 of this title. The expiration of such authority shall have no effect on an action brought before the expiration date.
(Pub. L. 103–297, §9, Aug. 16, 1994, 108 Stat. 1550.)
§6108. Review
(Pub. L. 103–297, §10, Aug. 16, 1994, 108 Stat. 1551.)