United States
Hong KongThe Do Not Call rules
A number on the National Do Not Call Registry may be called for three months after an inquiry and eighteen months after a transaction. A consumer asking not to be called must go on the firm's internal list regardless.
Prospecting rules, and the numbers are small and specific enough to make excellent exam questions.
The two windows
| Relationship | You may call for |
|---|---|
| The consumer made an inquiry or application | 3 months |
| The consumer completed a transaction | 18 months |
These are exceptions to the registry, based on an established business relationship. Outside them, a registered number is off limits.
Learn which window goes with which event. Reversing them is the obvious distractor.
The internal list beats everything
If a consumer asks not to be called again, they go on the firm's internal do-not-call list and the established business relationship exception no longer helps.
A specific request overrides a general permission. That is the whole logic.
An internal do-not-call request stands indefinitely, unlike the three and eighteen month windows. Questions test whether candidates think it lapses with the relationship.
Calling hours
Telemarketing calls are restricted to between 8am and 9pm in the recipient's local time zone.
The recipient's zone, not the caller's. An originator on the west coast calling east at 7am local is calling at 10am for them, which is fine; the reverse is not.
Identification
A caller must identify themselves, the company they represent, and the purpose of the call.
For a loan originator this sits alongside the SAFE Act obligation to display the unique identifier, so identification obligations come from two directions.
Common questions
How long can you call after an inquiry?
Three months from the inquiry or application.
How long after a transaction?
Eighteen months from the completed transaction.
Does an internal do-not-call request expire?
No. It stands indefinitely and overrides the established business relationship exceptions.
What are the permitted calling hours?
Between 8am and 9pm in the recipient's local time zone.
What must a caller disclose?
Their identity, the company they represent and the purpose of the call.