I'm pretty sure it was announced that political calls are exempt from the "no call" lists.
What I don't understand is why they called your cell phone. I thought cell phones, hospital rooms, and nursing homes were explicitly blocked by law from receiving such solicitation calls. Cell phones because the owner must pay for received calls and obviously it's a burden for sick people. (Didn't stop my mother from being bothered by calls made by auto sequential dialers in the nursing home; I had to pull the phone out.)
The people who make such solicitation calls obviously don't give a damn. They know most consumers won't bother to record the necessary information and register a complaint and even if they do, they'll get a slap on the wrist or fight the complaint dragging it out.
I am flooded with such calls on election day. Indeed, I called the local Party and they shrugged it off, saying they had no control over it. I think both parties called but the Dems were worse. I hated the pre-recorded messages from prominent politicians. BTW, when I used
1169, I got "111-111-1111" as the calling number, which apparently is a VOIP line.I was also flooded with union calls. My local union denied a connection to the calls and refused to do anything about. They didn't appreciate the nasty letter I wrote to the national union complaining; the next election call volume was down.
The definition of "prior relationship" is stretched greatly by callers. Some callers simply lie and claim "according to our records, about ten years ago you did business with us and we just wanted to check how you're doing". A company is allowed to sell your name or share it with "affiliates" which could be just about anyone.
I was really mad at my bank for soliciting me at work to buy stock, yet when they wrongly bounced a check of mine, they didn't bother to call me to inquire. (They bounced it because it "looked funny"). I had to repeatedly complain, but they did pay the penalties the recipient passed on to me and gave me a letter admitting their error.
P.S.
The no-call lists have significantly reduced nuisance calls at home, and that's good.
But I must say I must no use for the scumbags who sell and program 'auto-dialers' since they obviously made no exception for nursing home residents or cell phones.
I haven't had incoming calls to my cellphone, but then my own phone is rarely on to receive them. But numerous people have complained about them. Many people (like me) pay for minutes for incoming calls, so it is grossly unfair to call someone.
It turned out in my area there was a boiler room of phone solicitors. The owner whined he had to lay people off. Sorry, but I had no sympathy for him or his laid off employees. The unwanted calls were very disruptive to myself and my family; thank goodness we at least have this new law.
Can anyone justify this practice?
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