Dubai: Have you ever received calls relentlessly urging you to buy a product or service? Telemarketing can quickly feel like spamming, if businesses don’t follow the strict regulations in place in the UAE.

Here’s what you need to know about telemarketing rules in the country, and what to do to stop unwelcome calls.

Which law governs telemarketing in the UAE?

The UAE has robust telemarketing regulations, under Cabinet Resolution No. 56 of 2024, as well as administrative penalty rules under Cabinet Resolution No. 57 of 2024.

These regulations are enforced by authorities like the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism, and the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA).

Awatif Al Khouri, senior Emirati advocate and founder of Awatif Mohammad Shoqi Advocates and Legal Consultancy, added: “Companies may also be subject to data protection, consumer protection and sector-specific regulations.”

What restrictions do telemarketers face?

Companies can conduct telemarketing activities, provided they have the necessary approvals and follow the applicable rules. Under the law, telemarketers must strictly follow specific criteria, including:

Mandatory licensing and registration: Companies must secure prior approval from the related commercial licensing authority, and use official business phone numbers registered under their trade licence. Calling from personal phone numbers for commercial marking is illegal.

Transparency: Awatif said: “Telemarketers must identify their company and explain the purpose of the call.”

Prior consent: The licensed institution must obtain prior express consent through any of their official channels, from the customer, in order to conduct telemarketing activities.

Permitted calling hours: Calls are strictly restricted to between 9am and 6pm.

Adherence to the Do Not Call Registry (DNCR): The TDRA is in charge of managing the DNCR, and companies are strictly prohibited from calling numbers on this Registry.

Limit on number of calls: Telemarketing communications must not be conducted to the same customer more than once per day and a maximum of twice per week, except in the event of follow-up communication. The follow-up should only be conducted if the customer has explicitly requested it. Awatif added: “Companies must respect a consumer's refusal and comply with restrictions on repeated calls.”

No pressure tactics: Awatif said: “Misleading information, deceptive practices and pressuring consumers into purchases are prohibited.”

What are the penalties for violations?

Companies may face fines ranging from Dh10,000 to Dh150,000, depending on the violation and whether it is repeated. Additional measures may include suspension of activities or cancellation of licences.

Individuals unlawfully conducting telemarketing through personally registered numbers may face fines ranging from Dh5,000 to Dh50,000.

Awatif added: “Residents are not automatically entitled to compensation when a company is fined for unlawful telemarketing. However, they may seek compensation through a civil claim where they can establish that the conduct caused them financial loss or other legally recognised harm, subject to the applicable legal requirements.”

How do residents opt out and stop unwanted calls?

In September 2022, the UAE introduced its Do Not Call Registry (DNCR), a nationwide service that protects consumers from unsolicited marketing calls.

If you would like to stop all unwanted promotional or sales calls, you can register your number with this service. Businesses are legally prohibited from contacting customers on the DNCR list.

In the UAE, telecom providers etisalat, du, and Virgin Mobile allow users to sign up via the following avenues:

  • Etisalat: Send a SMS with the message ‘DNCR’ to 1012.
  • Du: Send a SMS with the message ‘DNCR’ or ‘Block’ to 1012. For landlines, send a SMS with ‘DNCR’, followed by the landline number (with the correct pre-fix, such as 9714, 9712, or 9716) to 1012. The SMS must be sent from the mobile number registered under the same account number.
  • Virgin Mobile: Register for the DNCR via the Virgin Mobile app, available via the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

How do residents complain if calls continue?

Awatif said: “Residents may report unwanted marketing calls through their telecommunications service provider or the relevant regulatory authority. They should retain the caller's number, date and time of the call, and any supporting evidence. Complaints involving financial institutions may also be raised through the applicable financial-sector complaints channels.”

Here are some ways to report unsolicited callers from the following origins:

Real estate

If you incessantly receive calls from real estate agents or property brokers, despite never having provided them your number, you can take action by filing a complaint through the Dubai Land Department (DLD). Follow these steps:

  • Visit DLD’s website – dld.gov.ae – and select ‘Services’. Navigate to ‘Report Malicious Calls’.
  • Enter information in the ‘Complainant Details’ field, including your full name, email address and mobile number.
  • Enter information in the ‘Defendant Details’ field, including the agent’s name, email address and phone number. If you don’t have the person’s name or email, you can just specify the phone number from which you received the call.
  • Describe the complaint.
  • If you have any supporting evidence, such as a screenshot of the call details, you can upload it at this stage. This step is optional.
  • Submit the complaint.

You will receive a confirmation of submission immediately, with the DLD providing you an update on your complaint within seven working days.

Trade and commodities

If you’ve been receiving unsolicited marketing calls that are promoting services related to securities or commodities trading, you can report the issue to the UAE’s Capital Market Authority (CMA), which was formerly known as the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA). These include calls that employ high-pressure tactics, mislead customers, or take place outside of the permitted telemarketing calling hours.

Follow these steps:

  • Visit the CMA website – uaecma.gov.ae – and select ‘Services’. Navigate to ‘Report Capital Market Violations’.
  • Select ‘Start Service’ and log in with your UAE PASS.
  • Enter your personal information and details of the caller, including the individual’s name or business (optional), and the phone number associated with the call.
  • Enter the complaint details, and any supporting evidence, if you have it at hand.
  • Submit the complaint.

The processing time is typically 30 days, within which, you will receive a follow-up from the CMA regarding your complaint.

Banks

The UAE Central Bank (CBUAE) is responsible for regulating telemarketing and consumer protection for licensed financial institutions and banks in the country.

If you have been receiving unsolicited calls from a bank, CBUAE recommends first reaching out to the bank and withdrawing consent for telemarketing calls, or filing a formal complaint through their customer service channels.

If the bank fails to resolve the complaint, you can raise the matter through Sanadak, the country’s financial and insurance ombudsman unit. Learn how to file a complaint via Sanadak here.

Calls from personal mobile numbers

Since August 2024, telemarketing calls from personal mobile numbers has been strictly prohibited – a regulation that is enforced by the TDRA.

If you received such calls, you can report the caller by sending an SMS with the message ‘Report 05XXXXXXXX’ to 1012.