Conway’s PrivacyStar Tops BBB On ‘Do Not Call’ Complaint Filer List

Conway-based PrivacyStar said Thursday that users of its caller ID and blocker services filed nearly a quarter of all the “Do Not Call” complaints with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) last year.

“We are now reporting more than 100,000 complaints to the FTC about unwanted calls every month,” said Jonathan Sasse, Chief Marketing Officer at PrivacyStar. “Our users are on track to report over a million complaints to the FTC this year, more than double the complaints filed in 2014. Unsolicited calls to consumers are clearly a huge problem and we offer a solution.”

The National Do Not Call Registry is a list of phone numbers from consumers who have indicated their preference to limit the telemarketing calls they receive. The registry is managed by the FTC, the nation’s consumer protection agency. The FTC and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) also oversee enforcement of telemarketing firms that violate federal “Do Not Call” rules, along with state officials.

PrivacyStar’s caller ID and blocking services help users of the services identify and block unwanted calls, and then reports complaints to the FTC about violators from the PrivacyStar app and accompanying website. PrivacyStar also helps consumers understand when their rights may have been violated, officials said, while also providing information on how to receive assistance from legal counsel specializing in consumer protection, which can result in sizable compensation paid directly to the consumer.

According to the FTC’s 2014 Consumer Sentinel Network report, the Conway smartphone app provider surpassed the Better Business Bureau (BBB) in 2014 to become the leader of “Do Not Call” violation complaints. The BBB contributed 15% of complaints and the Internet Crime Complaint Center contributed 9% of all complaints.

Founded in late 2008, PrivacyStar is a smartphone application for Android and iPhone that provides users with complete control of their smartphones. According to PrivacyStar officials, the company’s app has blocked over 120 million calls and helped consumers file over 300,000 complaints against telemarketing firms directly with the FTC.

PrivacyStar was started by former Acxiom executive Jeff Stalnaker and is chaired by former Acxiom CEO Charles Morgan.