Opinion ID: 4380656
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: TCPA Liability

Text: Under the TCPA, it is unlawful to “to make any call (other than . . . with the prior express consent of the called party) using any automatic telephone dialing system or an artificial or prerecorded voice . . . to any telephone number assigned to a . . . cellular telephone service.” 47 U.S.C. § 227(b)(1)(A)(iii). Telemarketers, debt collectors, and others obtain phone numbers consumers did not consent to be called on through skip tracing. 1 Because consumers did not provide these callers with their phone numbers, the consumers have not given “prior express consent” to be 1 Skip tracing is the process of obtaining previously-unknown phone numbers associated with the name on an account, such as by contracting with “third-party database services” or by “calling an individual’s relatives [and] known acquaintances.” (Deposition of Mark A. Verbrugge, senior director of operations within portfolio management at Navient). HENDERSON V. UNITED STUDENT AID FUNDS 7 called on those numbers. Therefore, if the numbers were also auto dialed, the calls violated the TCPA. 47 U.S.C. § 227(b)(1)(A)(iii). Debt collectors that auto dialed Henderson on a phone number she did not provide in connection with her student loan would be liable under this section. For USA Funds to be liable under this section, Henderson must show that there is an agency relationship between USA Funds and these liable debt collectors.