🇬🇧United Kingdom
Two regulators share responsibility: the ICO leads on live telesales calls, automated marketing calls and spam texts under PECR (Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations). Ofcom leads on silent/abandoned calls and network-level anti-spoofing measures.
TPS / CTPS
The Telephone Preference Service is the UK's do-not-call register. Companies are legally required to screen their calling lists against it, typically at least every 28 days.
Specific prior consent required
Recorded/automated marketing calls — including AI "avatar" calls — need specific prior consent under PECR, regardless of TPS status.
Consent or "soft opt-in"
Specific consent is required, with a limited exception for existing customers being marketed similar products.
Data (Use and Access) Act
Raised the maximum PECR fine to match UK GDPR (£17.5m or 4% of global turnover) and removed the need to prove "substantial damage and distress." Being phased in through 2026.
Recent enforcement
| Case | Fine |
|---|---|
| Aggressive/unwanted marketing calls (April 2024) | £340,000 (two companies) |
| Unlawful marketing calls, compensation-claims firm (April 2025) | £90,000 |
Where to report
- Scam texts/calls — forward to 7726 (spells "SPAM").
- Nuisance sales/marketing calls — ICO complaint form.
- Silent/abandoned calls — Ofcom.
- Scam/fraud calls — Action Fraud, 0300 123 2040 (Scotland: Police Scotland 101).
Sources: ICO — Guide to PECR · Ofcom — tackling nuisance calls · ICO — DUAA summary · Ofcom — 7726 reporting
🇺🇸United States
The FTC enforces the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) and runs the National Do Not Call Registry. The FCC enforces the TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act) and mandates STIR/SHAKEN caller-ID authentication against spoofing.
donotcall.gov
Free registration. Exemptions apply: political calls, charities, an existing business relationship (up to 18 months after your last purchase), and debt collection.
8am–9pm, your local time
Telemarketing calls outside this window violate the TSR regardless of registry status.
Prior express consent required
Auto-dialed or prerecorded calls to cell phones need prior consent under the TCPA. Since Feb 2024, AI-cloned voices count as "artificial" voices too.
STIR/SHAKEN mandatory
Since June 30, 2021, major carriers must authenticate caller ID to fight number spoofing.
A distinctive US right: sue directly
Unlike most countries, the TCPA gives consumers a private right of action — you can sue a robocaller directly in court for $500 to $1,500 per violation, without needing an agency to act first.
Recent enforcement
| Case | Fine |
|---|---|
| Auto-warranty robocall scheme, 5+ billion spoofed calls (Aug 2023) | ~$300 million — FCC's largest-ever fine |
Where to report
- Fraud/scam complaints — reportfraud.ftc.gov.
- Robocalls/robotexts — FCC complaint center.
- Spam texts — forward to 7726.
- Registry — donotcall.gov.
Sources: FTC — TSR & DNC Q&A · FCC — call authentication (STIR/SHAKEN) · FCC — AI voices ruling · FCC — record robocall fine · Congress.gov — TCPA text
🇦🇺Australia
ACMA (Australian Communications and Media Authority) manages the Do Not Call Register, enforces telemarketing industry standards, and runs the new SMS Sender ID Register. Scamwatch, run by the ACCC's National Anti-Scam Centre, handles consumer scam reporting and education.
donotcall.gov.au
Free, permanent registration. Telemarketers have 30 days to stop calling a newly registered number. Exemptions: charities, political parties, education, government.
Weekdays 9am–8pm, Sat 9am–5pm
No calls Sundays or public holidays. Caller ID cannot be withheld and callers must identify themselves.
Consent required for SMS/email
Express or reasonably inferred consent needed; every message needs a working unsubscribe, actioned within 5 business days.
SMS Sender ID Register
Live from ~July 2026: brands (banks, myGov, AusPost) must register their sender ID. Unregistered senders are labelled "Unverified" and separated into their own thread.
Recent enforcement
| Case | Fine |
|---|---|
| Woolworths — 5M+ Spam Act breaches (2020) | $1,003,800 — largest ACMA infringement notice to date |
| Federal Court telemarketing case (April 2025) | $1.5 million |
Where to report
- Do Not Call Register violations — donotcall.gov.au or 1300 792 958.
- Scams — scamwatch.gov.au.
- Identity theft / financial loss — ReportCyber.
Sources: ACMA — Do Not Call Register · Industry Standards · ACMA — SMS Sender ID Register · ACMA — Woolworths penalty · Scamwatch
🇮🇳India
TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) regulates unsolicited commercial communications via the TCCCPR (Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2018), enforced through a blockchain-based DLT (Distributed Ledger Technology) system that scrubs every commercial message against consumer preferences before delivery.
SMS/call 1909
Register by sending "START 0" to 1909, or calling 1909. Activation within ~7 days, with category-level blocking (banking, real estate, etc.) available.
Graduated penalties
1st violation = warning, 2nd = capped at 20 outgoing messages/day for 6 months, 3rd = full telecom disconnection for up to 2 years, blacklisted across all operators within 24 hours.
Full traceability
Since Feb 2025, telcos must trace every commercial message from sender to receiver, capping intermediaries and blocking messages with mismatched sender-ID data.
Chakshu portal
Run by the Department of Telecommunications (Sanchar Saathi), lets citizens report fraud calls/SMS/WhatsApp impersonating banks, police or government agencies.
Where to report
- DND/UCC complaints — via 1909 (call or SMS).
- Fraud-specific reports — Chakshu portal (Sanchar Saathi).
Sources: TRAI — TCCCPR · TRAI — Feb 2025 amendment · Sanchar Saathi
🇯🇵Japan
Japan has no do-not-call registry. Instead, protection is refusal-based: under the Specified Commercial Transactions Act, once you verbally refuse a sales call, re-soliciting you is prohibited (Art. 17). For commercial email/SMS, the Specified Email Act requires strict prior opt-in consent per recipient — one of the strictest consent regimes in this list.
Refusal-based protection
The caller must disclose company name, purpose and that it's a sales call before soliciting. Continuing to call after a refusal is a separate offense.
Strict opt-in
Senders must retain proof of consent. False sender information carries criminal penalties, not just fines.
Where to report
- Spam email/SMS — Anti-Spam Mail Consultation Center.
- Telemarketing/consumer complaints — national hotline 188 (Consumer Hotline).
Sources: MIC — Specified Email Act · Consumer Affairs Agency — telemarketing rules
🇰🇷South Korea
The KCC (Korea Communications Commission) and the KISA (Korea Internet & Security Agency) regulate telemarketing under Article 50 of the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection (commonly known as the Network Act). South Korea enforces a strict prior opt-in consent regime for all electronic direct marketing.
Dual "두낫콜" System
Consumers can register on two distinct official do-not-call registries: donotcall.go.kr (run by the FTC for general telemarketing) and donotcall.or.kr (run by the FSC for financial institution solicitations).
"(광고)" Prefix & 080 Opt-out
All commercial texts must start with the prefix "(광고)" (meaning "[Ad]"), identify the sender, and include a toll-free 080 opt-out number at the end of the message.
Caller ID Verification
Under Article 84-2 of the Telecommunications Business Act, caller ID spoofing is strictly prohibited. International calls are prefix-flagged to display warning banners such as "국제전화입니다".
Fines up to ₩30 Million
Violators sending spam messages or unsolicited calls without explicit prior opt-in consent, or failing to follow formatting standards, face administrative fines of up to ₩30,000,000.
Where to report
- Spam, Smishing and Cyberthreats — call the national 118 hotline or report online at kisa.or.kr.
- Voice Phishing scams — report to the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) at 1332 or the National Police Agency at 112.
Sources: KCC · KISA · FTC General Do-Not-Call Register · FSC Financial Do-Not-Call Register · FSS anti-phishing
🇰🇿Kazakhstan
The MDDIAI (Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry) and its Information Security Committee regulate direct marketing and personal data protection under the Law "On Personal Data and Their Protection" (No. 94-V) and Article 36-1 of the Law "On Communications". Kazakhstan enforces a strict prior opt-in consent regime for commercial phone calls and messages.
Strict Prior Consent
Under Article 36-1 of the Law "On Communications", telecom operators and content providers are legally prohibited from sending unsolicited commercial marketing calls or SMS without the subscriber's prior explicit opt-in consent.
Opt-out Rights
Kazakhstan does not have a single public do-not-call registry. Instead, the framework relies on the right of consumers to withdraw their opt-in consent at any time, requiring immediate cessation of marketing by the sender.
Automated +7 7xx Blocks
The MDDIAI and national telecommunication operators (Beeline, Kcell, Tele2/ALTEL) run integrated automated filters to block international spoofed calls carrying fake local Kazakhstan numbers.
Fines up to 1,000 MCI
Violations of personal data protection laws or unsolicited communications rules carry administrative fines of up to 1,000 Monthly Calculation Indices (MCI / МРП) under Articles 79 and 637 of the CoAO.
Where to report
- Official Complaints & Violations — submit a formal grievance via the government's e-Otinish platform (e-otinish.kz) or call the national hotline at 1414.
- Cybersecurity, Spam & Phishing — report incidents to the national emergency response agency CERT-KZ at cert.gov.kz.
Sources: MDDIAI · CERT-KZ · e-Otinish Portal · Adilet legal database
🇺🇿Uzbekistan
Telecom and advertising rules fall under the Ministry of Digital Technologies, with consumer-protection enforcement handled by the Committee for the Development of Competition and Consumer Protection. The revised Law "On Advertising" (Article 27) requires prior subscriber consent for any commercial call or SMS.
Prior Consent Required
Under Article 27 of the Law "On Advertising", distributing advertising by phone or SMS is only permitted with the subscriber's prior consent. The separate Law "On Personal Data" bans collecting or using a phone number for marketing without specific consent.
Complaint-Based Enforcement
Uzbekistan has no single national do-not-call registry; enforcement runs through consumer complaints to the Committee rather than an opt-out list.
Ministry & Operator Oversight
The Ministry and telecom operators can restrict Sender IDs and numbers found distributing unauthorized advertising or exhibiting fraud patterns.
Administrative Fines
Advertising calls made without proven subscriber consent expose the sender to administrative fines under the Law "On Advertising".
O'zbek tilida o'qing — "Reklama to'g'risida"gi Qonun, shikoyat tartibi va bank nomidan firibgarlik →
Where to report
- Official Complaints — file directly with the Committee for the Development of Competition and Consumer Protection via the government's unified portal my.gov.uz, or call the Committee's short number 1159.
Sources: Law "On Advertising" No. O'RQ-776 (Lex.uz) · Law "On Personal Data" (Lex.uz) · Ministry of Digital Technologies · Competition Committee
🇦🇪United Arab Emirates
TDRA (Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority) runs the UAE's Do Not Contact Register (DNCR), launched September 2022 — notably, it blocks calls/SMS/email even where a company already had prior consent.
Calls 9am–6pm, SMS 7am–9pm
No same-day recall after a refusal. Personal mobile numbers are banned for commercial prospecting.
Tiered fines
Cabinet Resolution on telemarketing (2024) introduced fines from AED 10,000 up to AED 150,000 for operating without approval, scaling with repeat offenses.
Where to report
- Unwanted SMS — text "REPORT [number]" to 1012.
Sources: TDRA — FAQs · Khaleej Times — DNCR coverage
🇸🇦Saudi Arabia
CST (Communications, Space & Technology Commission) enforces an opt-in/opt-out regime under its 2022 anti-spam regulation: prior consent is required, and any stop request must be honored within 24 hours.
9am–10pm
Sender identity must be CST-approved and clearly disclosed.
SAR 149 million in 2025
Total fines issued by CST in 2025 for telecom-law violations, with individual fines capped at SAR 5 million per violation.
Where to report
- Suspicious SMS — forward to 330330 (free).
- CST hotline — 19966.
Sources: CST — Spam Reports · Telecompaper — CST 2025 fines
🇹🇷Turkey
BTK (Information and Communication Technologies Authority) oversees the network side, while the Ministry of Trade runs İYS (İleti Yönetim Sistemi) — a mandatory opt-in consent-management platform for commercial calls, SMS and email, in force since September 2020.
Opt-in by design
Businesses must register with İYS and check consent status before any marketing contact. Consumers can withdraw consent anytime via the platform.
Same-operator restriction
Since April 2026, operators/dealers/call-centers may only market to their own current subscribers — no cross-operator marketing calls.
Where to report
- Unwanted commercial messages — TİSS (Ministry of Trade).
- General complaints — BTK consumer complaints.
Sources: İYS — official platform · BTK
🇲🇾Malaysia
MCMC (Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission) had long relied on a 1998 harassment law with no opt-in/opt-out mechanism — its own stated limitation. A 2025 amendment finally closed that gap.
Section 233A
The Communications and Multimedia (Amendment) Act 2025 explicitly criminalizes unsolicited commercial electronic messages for the first time.
Link-blocking since Sept 2024
Telcos block SMS containing suspicious URLs, phone numbers or personal-info requests.
Where to report
- Spam complaints — MCMC spam channel.
Sources: MCMC — spam laws
Neighboring Singapore has its own dedicated regime — DNC Registry, PDPA, and full breakdown →
🇮🇩Indonesia
Komdigi (formerly Kominfo), via BRTI, handles telecom/SMS spam complaints through a reactive report-and-block system rather than a proactive opt-out registry.
SMART PPI
Verified complaints require operators to act within 24 hours.
Consent required (POJK 6/2022)
Financial products cannot be offered via SMS/WhatsApp/email without written consumer consent.
Where to report
- BRTI hotline — 159, or @aduanPPI on social media.
Sources: Kominfo — SMART PPI
🇵🇭Philippines
NTC (National Telecommunications Commission) regulates broadcast/push messaging consent, while the NPC (National Privacy Commission) enforces data-privacy consent rules. There is no centralized do-not-call registry.
7am–9pm
Broadcast/push commercial SMS is banned between 9pm and 7am, except for paid subscription services.
AFASA (RA 12010)
Criminalizes phishing/vishing scam calls and texts with 10–14 years imprisonment and up to ₱2 million in fines — the region's strongest scam-call statute.
Where to report
- Spam/scam texts — NTC report form.
- Data-privacy complaints — NPC e-Complaint.
Sources: LawPhil — RA 12010 (AFASA) · NTC — spam report
🇨🇦Canada
CRTC (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission) regulates telemarketing calls and runs the National Do Not Call List, plus enforces CASL (Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation) for commercial texts and emails.
Mandatory carrier check
Telemarketers must subscribe and refresh their data no more than 31 days before calling.
Weekdays 9am–9:30pm, weekends 10am–6pm
Internal do-not-call requests must be honored within 14 days.
Up to $10M per violation
For corporations; $1M for individuals. Seven telemarketing firms were fined a combined $1.28M in one case.
Where to report
- Do Not Call List — 1-866-580-3625.
- Spam/CASL — fightspam.gc.ca.
- Fraud — Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, 1-888-495-8501.
Sources: CRTC — telemarketing rules · CRTC — CASL FAQ
🇮🇪Ireland
ComReg manages the National Directory Database (NDD), Ireland's do-not-call register for landlines, while the Data Protection Commission enforces consent rules for mobile marketing calls, texts and emails.
Opt-out for landlines, opt-in for mobile
Landline marketing calls are allowed unless you've registered on the NDD. Mobile calls/SMS require prior consent.
Up to €250,000
On indictment for a body corporate; €5,000 per offense on summary conviction, with each unsolicited call counted separately.
Where to report
- Nuisance/marketing calls — Data Protection Commission or ComReg.
Sources: ComReg — NDD · DPC — direct marketing rules
🇳🇿New Zealand
New Zealand has no statutory do-not-call registry — only a voluntary industry list run by the NZ Marketing Association, which companies aren't legally required to check. The Department of Internal Affairs enforces the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act 2007, but that law covers spam SMS/email/fax only, not phone calls.
NZMA Do Not Call
Voluntary and non-binding — reduces but doesn't eliminate telemarketing calls.
Up to NZ$500,000
Under the 2007 Act, for unsolicited commercial electronic messages.
Where to report
- Spam email/SMS — reportspam.co.nz (forward to 7726).
Sources: DIA — spam regulation · Consumer Protection — telemarketing
🇳🇬Nigeria
NCC (Nigerian Communications Commission) runs a Do Not Disturb registry — one of the largest in this list by registered numbers.
DND — 30M+ numbers registered
Free registration via short code 2442, opt-out based.
Cybercrimes Amendment Act
Strengthens penalties for phone-enabled fraud and impersonation scams.
Where to report
- DND registration/complaints — consumer.ncc.gov.ng.
Sources: NCC · NCC consumer portal
🇵🇰Pakistan
PTA (Pakistan Telecommunication Authority) runs a Do Not Call Register under its 2009 anti-spam regulations — one of the region's stricter penalty regimes.
SMS "reg" to 3627
Free, opt-out based registration.
Up to 3 years imprisonment or 10M PKR fine
Under the Protection from Spam, Unsolicited, Fraudulent and Obnoxious Communication Regulations, 2009.
Where to report
- PTA — pta.gov.pk.
Source: PTA
🇪🇬Egypt
NTRA (National Telecom Regulatory Authority) doesn't run a do-not-call registry — instead, telemarketers must register their numbers directly with mobile operators, and calls carry an "NTRA Alert" pre-notification tag so recipients can identify promotional calls before answering.
Mandatory number registration
Telemarketing lines must be registered in the operator database; non-compliant numbers face permanent deactivation across all networks.
EGP 20 million fine
NTRA fined a real-estate firm this amount in October 2024 for unlawful telemarketing calls.
Where to report
- NTRA — hotline 155, or fraud.tra.gov.eg.
Sources: NTRA — new anti-spam measures · NTRA — Mountain View enforcement action
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Get Egidio Free call blocking forever · Extended protection in PremiumFrequently asked questions
Who regulates telemarketing in the UK?
The ICO leads on live telesales calls, automated marketing calls, and spam texts under PECR. Ofcom leads on silent/abandoned calls and anti-spoofing. Companies must screen against the TPS register.
Who regulates telemarketing in the USA?
The FTC enforces the Telemarketing Sales Rule and Do Not Call Registry. The FCC enforces the TCPA and mandates STIR/SHAKEN. Consumers can also sue robocallers directly under the TCPA.
Who regulates telemarketing in Australia?
ACMA manages the Do Not Call Register and telemarketing/Spam Act enforcement. Scamwatch (ACCC) handles scam reporting and education.
What are the allowed telemarketing calling hours?
USA: 8am–9pm local time. Australia: weekdays 9am–8pm, Saturday 9am–5pm, none on Sundays/holidays. The UK doesn't set fixed hours by law but requires TPS screening and consent for automated calls.
How do I report a scam call or text?
UK: forward to 7726. USA: reportfraud.ftc.gov or forward texts to 7726. Australia: scamwatch.gov.au.
Who regulates telemarketing in India?
TRAI runs the DND registry and DLT scrubbing system. The Chakshu portal handles fraud-specific reports.
Who regulates telemarketing in Japan?
No registry exists — protection is refusal-based under the Specified Commercial Transactions Act, plus strict opt-in for email/SMS under the Specified Email Act.
Who regulates telemarketing in South Korea?
The KCC and KISA regulate direct marketing under the Network Act. Prior opt-in consent is mandatory for all calls and texts. Senders must prefix messages with "(광고)" and provide a free 080 opt-out number.
Who regulates telemarketing in Kazakhstan?
The MDDIAI and its Information Security Committee regulate telemarketing and data protection under the Law "On Personal Data" and the Law "On Communications". Prior opt-in consent is mandatory. Complaints can be submitted online via e-Otinish or by calling 1414.
Who regulates telemarketing in the UAE and Saudi Arabia?
UAE's TDRA runs the Do Not Contact Register. Saudi Arabia's CST requires opt-in consent, with stop requests honored within 24 hours.
How does Turkey's İYS system work?
İYS is Turkey's mandatory opt-in consent-management platform, in force since September 2020 — businesses must check consent before contacting you.
Who regulates telemarketing in Canada, Ireland and New Zealand?
Canada's CRTC runs the Do Not Call List and CASL. Ireland's ComReg manages the NDD opt-out register for landlines (mobile requires opt-in). New Zealand has no statutory registry, only a voluntary industry one.
Who regulates telemarketing in Nigeria and Pakistan?
Nigeria's NCC runs a Do Not Disturb registry with 30M+ numbers. Pakistan's PTA runs a similar registry, with violations carrying up to 3 years imprisonment.
Who regulates telemarketing in Egypt?
Egypt's NTRA requires telemarketers to register their numbers with operators and uses an "NTRA Alert" tag on promotional calls.
Official sources cited on this page
- ICO — Guide to PECR
- Ofcom — tackling nuisance calls and messages
- FTC — Telemarketing Sales Rule
- FCC — Call Authentication / STIR-SHAKEN
- ACMA — Do Not Call Register
- Scamwatch — report a scam
- TRAI — TCCCPR (India)
- Consumer Affairs Agency (Japan)
- KCC (South Korea)
- KISA (South Korea)
- FTC Do Not Call Registry (South Korea)
- FSC Financial Do Not Call Registry (South Korea)
- MDDIAI (Kazakhstan)
- CERT-KZ (Kazakhstan)
- e-Otinish Portal (Kazakhstan)
- TDRA (UAE)
- CST (Saudi Arabia)
- İYS (Turkey)
- MCMC (Malaysia)
- Komdigi (Indonesia)
- RA 12010 / AFASA (Philippines)
- CRTC (Canada)
- ComReg (Ireland)
- DIA (New Zealand)
- NCC (Nigeria)
- PTA (Pakistan)
- NTRA (Egypt)
This page is an informational summary and not legal advice. Cited official texts take precedence — consult a legal professional or the regulator directly if in doubt.