N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law § 396-AA

Current through 2024 NY Law Chapter 443
Section 396-AA - [Multiple versions] Unsolicited telefacsimile advertising
1. It shall be unlawful for a person, corporation, partnership or association to initiate the unsolicited transmission of telefacsimile messages promoting goods or services for purchase by the recipient of such messages. For purposes of this section, "telefacsimile" shall mean every process in which electronic signals are transmitted by telephone lines for conversion into written text. This section shall not apply to telefacsimile messages sent to a recipient with whom the initiator has had a prior contractual or business relationship. Notwithstanding the above, it shall be unlawful to initiate any telefacsimile message to a recipient who has previously clearly indicated to the initiator by any verbal, written or electronic means that the recipient does not want to receive telefacsimile messages from the initiator.
2. Every unsolicited telefacsimile message sent to a recipient shall contain a notice that informs the recipient of the ability, granted by subdivision one of this section, to prevent the transmission of future unsolicited telefacsimile messages. Such notice shall be clear and conspicuous and on the first page of the telefacsimile message and include a domestic contact telephone number and facsimile machine number for the recipient to transmit such a request to the initiator.

If neither the required telephone number or facsimile machine number is a toll-free number, a separate cost-free mechanism including a website address or email address, for a recipient to transmit a request pursuant to such notice to the sender of the message shall also be provided. A local telephone number also shall constitute a cost-free mechanism so long as recipients are local and will not incur any long distance or other separate charges for calls made to such number. The telephone and facsimile numbers and cost-free mechanism identified in the notice must permit an individual or business to make a request to prevent the transmission of future unsolicited advertisements twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

3. Any person who has received a telefacsimile transmission in violation of this section may bring an action in his own name to recover his actual damages or one hundred dollars, whichever is greater.

N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law § 396-AA