Here’s How To Stop Those Annoying Telemarketing Texts in New York

New Yorkers now have an easy way to make sure you don't get an annoying telemarketing text message. Here's how you can stop them.

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On Tuesday, Gov. Cuomo signed legislation expanding New York State's definition of telemarketing to include marketing by text message.

"Our consumer protections need to keep pace with technology and New Yorkers who have long been plagued by the nuisance of annoying calls from telemarketers now have to contend with unwanted texts attempting to sell them things they don't want," Cuomo said. "This legislation closes this annoying loophole and will help ensure our laws are modernized to confront the needs of New Yorkers.

New Yorkers have protection against unwanted robocalls under state law, but texting was not previously defined as telemarketing, exempting it from those protections. This legislation closes that loophole, officials say.

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"Aggressive telemarketing has long been an annoyance and potential source of fraud preying upon consumers, so much that we have had to establish a do not call registry to keep New Yorkers from being inundated with unwanted and often unscrupulous solicitation. Now that cell phones are as common, if not more than landlines, electronic text messages to our mobile devices have become the newest unwelcomed invasive marketing technique. Consumers should not be burdened with excessive and predatory telemarketing in any form, including text messages," Senator Leroy Comrie said.

Telemarketing, also known as robocalling, has been a longstanding nuisance for New Yorkers and people across the country. Under New York State law, the definition of telemarketing was previously limited to phone calls. Text messages are commonly used by telemarketers but were not previously defined as telemarketing in the law.

"During the pandemic, New Yorkers experienced a dramatic rise in text-based telemarketing because the law had not caught up with technological advancements. With this essential piece of legislation, New York consumers on the 'Do Not Call Registry' will no longer receive these types of messages," Assembly Member Kenny Burgos said.

CLICK HERE to register your phone on the National Do Not Call Registry

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