Annoying, Threatening and Unwanted Calls

Solicitation Calls
Virginia law provides that it is unlawful to use recorded solicitation calls for initial sales contacts. The maximum penalty, upon conviction, is imprisonment and/or a fine. Virginia law also provides that it is unlawful to make recorded solicitation calls which do not disengage or terminate when the party called attempts to terminate the call by any method.

Many people receive telephone calls from companies offering them information about products or services. When you receive a telephone sales call find out who is calling.

If you think you may be interested and want to know more, ask the caller to mail information about the offer. If you are not interested, just interrupt and say so.

If you don't want to get another call from the company, ask the person to take your name off the company's list. If you want to reduce the number of at-home telephone solicitation calls from national companies, write to the address below and include your name, address, and telephone number.

Telephone Preference Service
c/o Direct Marketing Association
PO Box 9014
Farmingdale, NY 11735-9014.


Annoyance/Threatening Calls
State and federal laws provide that it is unlawful to use or permit another to use the telephone to intentionally annoy another by telephoning without intent to converse. They also provide that it is unlawful to make obscene calls or to maliciously make false statements, by telephone, of the health of another. These laws have penalties of imprisonment and/or a fine.

If you receive a threatening call, report it immediately to the police. If you receive obscene or harassing calls, follow these suggestions:

• Hang up at the first obscene word or if the caller doesn't say anything the second time you say hello.
• Give no information such as name, address, or the fact that you are alone.
• Advise children to not give information to strangers.
• If calls persist, see information on Caller ID, Customer Originated Trace, and Selective Call Rejection.