Source: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/fullchapter/09/067
Timestamp: 2020-05-25 18:19:33
Document Index: 546747715

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 2504', '§ 2', '§ 2505', '§ 2', '§ 2508', '§ 2', '§ 2510', '§ 2', '§ 2511', '§ 2', '§ 2512', '§ 2', '§ 2513', '§ 2', '§ 2515', '§ 2', '§ 2516', '§ 1681', '§ 2']

Chapter 067: PAY-PER-CALL SERVICES
§ 2504. Bypass mechanisms
A sponsor may offer a caller the means to bypass the preamble on subsequent calls, provided that the caller is in sole control of that capability, except that any bypass device shall be disabled for a period of 30 days following the effective date of a price increase for the pay-per-call service. A sponsor shall include at the end of the preamble or the end of the program instructions on how to bypass. (Added 1993, No. 99, § 2.)
§ 2505. Loan and credit card services
It shall be an unlawful practice for a sponsor to sell or offer for sale pay-per-call services directly or indirectly purporting to extend callers any form of credit, loan, or charge card unless:
(1) all advertisements and promotions for the service include a complete and accurate description of all terms, including fees, required purchases, interest rates, minimum account balances or deposits, limitations on usage, and other conditions, limitations, or charges associated therewith;
(2) the sponsor is authorized to act as an agent in connection with the issuance of the loan, credit, or charge card by an authorized financial institution;
(3) the sponsor has complied with all applicable State and federal laws relating to the extension of loans, credit, or charge cards; and
(4) the sponsor provides a full refund to any caller who requests one. (Added 1993, No. 99, § 2.)
It shall be an unlawful practice for a sponsor to sell or offer for sale pay-per-call services that involve unsolicited notification to prospective callers that they are entitled to a prize, award, or other thing of value and with respect to which they are requested to access a pay-per-call service unless:
(A) an accurate description of all material terms, conditions, and rules regarding the prospective caller's eligibility for the prize or prizes;
§ 2508. Children's program services
(a) It shall be an unlawful practice for a sponsor to sell or offer for sale pay-per-call services directed at children age 12 or under.
(b) The advertisement or promotion of pay-per-call services on television during a time slot used by television stations to air programming for children age 12 or under shall give rise to a rebuttable presumption of a violation of this section.
(c) It shall be an unlawful practice for a sponsor to sell or offer for sale pay-per-call services directed at children under the age of 18 where the service, or any advertisement or promotion for it:
(1) contains an imperative statement, including language such as "call now" or "you must call";
(2) contains an embedded message to call other pay-per-call numbers;
(3) requests that the caller provide his or her name, address, telephone number, or other identifying information;
(4) requests that the caller make an additional purchase in order for the complete message to be received;
(5) contains a message soliciting copies of phone bills; or
(6) requires the viewing of a television program to obtain the complete message.
(d) It shall be an unlawful practice for a sponsor to sell or offer for sale pay-per-call services directed at children under the age of 18 unless the sponsor provides a full credit upon request, for any call by a child which was not authorized by the child's parent.
(e) It shall be an unlawful practice for a sponsor to sell or offer for sale pay-per-call services directed at children under the age of 18 for which the total charges per call to the customer exceed $4.00. (Added 1993, No. 99, § 2.)
§ 2510. Pay-per-call fulfillment services
It shall be an unlawful practice for a sponsor to sell or offer for sale pay-per-call services that involve provision of value-added information (not product sales) with a supplemental tangible item sent free of charge to the customer after the completion of the call unless all advertisements and promotions for such services include:
(1) an 800 number or business name and full address for callers to obtain additional information or to follow up on items not yet received; and
(2) the true market value of the item to be sent free of charge and a complete and accurate description of the item. (Added 1993, No. 99, § 2.)
§ 2511. Automatic dialing devices
It shall be an unlawful practice for a sponsor to utilize equipment programmed to randomly or sequentially dial telephone numbers to advertise, promote, or initiate pay-per-call services. (Added 1993, No. 99, § 2.)
§ 2512. Chain referral services
It shall be an unlawful practice for a sponsor to sell or offer for sale pay-per-call services that require a caller to access more than one pay-per-call service in order to receive the full benefit of the service. (Added 1993, No. 99, § 2.)
§ 2513. Automatic billing arrangements
It shall be an unlawful practice for a sponsor to initiate or make available pay-per-call services which impose a pay-per-call charge on persons as a result of a call placed to them, or which impose a pay-per-call charge on persons who have made a call to regular or noncharged telephone lines, unless the caller initiates a separate call to the pay-per-call service using a telephone number expressly identified by the sponsor as a pay-per-call number. (Added 1993, No. 99, § 2.)
§ 2515. Service agent
All sponsors who are doing business in this State and whose principal place of business is out-of-state shall establish within the State an authorized agent for service of process. (Added 1993, No. 99, § 2.)
§ 2516. Violations
(a) A violation of this chapter is deemed to be a violation of section 2453 of this title, the State's general civil antifraud statute. This section shall not be construed to limit a person's liability under any other law.
(b) With respect to a pay-per-call service which fails to meet the requirements of this chapter, no sponsor shall:
(1) bill, cause to bill, collect, or cause to collect from the caller for the service; or
(2) report any amount due for the service to any consumer reporting agency as defined in the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1681a(f).
(c) The Attorney General has the same authority to make rules, conduct civil investigations, and bring civil actions with respect to acts and practices governed by this chapter as is provided under subchapter 1 of chapter 63 of this title.
(d) A caller has the same rights with respect to any act or practice governed by this chapter as a consumer has under section 2461 of this title. (Added 1993, No. 99, § 2.)