TCPA Demand Letter - Kentucky

KENTUCKY TCPA DEMAND LETTER

Quick-Reference Summary

Sender Letterhead

[LAW FIRM NAME]
[________________________________]
[Street Address]
[City], Kentucky [Zip Code]
Phone: [________________________________]
Fax: [________________________________]
Email: [________________________________]
Kentucky Bar No.: [________________________________]

Date and Recipient

SENT VIA:

☐ Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested — Tracking No. [________________________________]
☐ U.S. First-Class Mail
☐ Email to: [________________________________]
☐ FedEx/UPS Overnight Delivery — Tracking No. [________________________________]
☐ Hand Delivery
☐ Registered Agent Service via Kentucky Secretary of State records

Date: [__/__/____]

TO (Respondent):

[Respondent Business Name]
Attn: [Registered Agent / Officer / General Counsel]
[Street Address]
[City], [State] [Zip Code]

Subject Line / Re: Block

Re: Demand to Cease Unlawful Calls/Texts and for Settlement — Telephone Consumer Protection Act, 47 U.S.C. § 227, and the Kentucky Telephone Solicitation statute, KRS 367.46951 to 367.46999

I. Parties

A. Claimant

[________________________________] ("Claimant") is a natural person and Kentucky resident residing at [________________________________], [City], Kentucky [Zip Code]. Claimant is the regular user and subscriber of the telephone number(s) identified above and is a "called party" protected by the federal TCPA and a "consumer" protected by the Kentucky telephone-solicitation statute, KRS 367.46951 et seq.

B. Respondent

[________________________________] ("Respondent") is a [corporation / LLC / partnership / sole proprietor] organized under the laws of [________________________________], with its principal place of business at [________________________________]. Respondent is a "telemarketer"/"merchant" within the meaning of KRS 367.46951 and a "person" engaged in "trade or commerce" under the Kentucky Consumer Protection Act, KRS 367.170. Respondent, directly or through agents, vendors, or lead generators, placed or caused to be placed the calls described below.

Respondent:

• ☐ Is registered with the Kentucky Secretary of State to transact business in Kentucky
• ☐ Made the calls/texts itself
• ☐ Used a third-party dialer, marketing vendor, or lead generator: [________________________________]
• ☐ Is vicariously liable for calls placed on its behalf (actual/apparent authority or ratification)

II. Factual Background

A. The Telephone Number(s)

Claimant's number(s) [________________________________] is/are:

• ☐ Assigned to a cellular telephone service (protected under 47 U.S.C. § 227(b)(1)(A)(iii))
• ☐ A residential landline (protected under 47 U.S.C. § 227(b)(1)(B) and 47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(c))
• ☐ Registered on the National Do-Not-Call Registry since [__/__/____] (Kentucky's "zero call list" numbers were transferred to the National Registry — KRS 367.46994)
• ☐ Never provided to Respondent, and Claimant never gave consent or made an express request

B. The Offending Communications

Respondent (or its agent) contacted Claimant on the following occasions without consent. Each row is a separate alleged violation:

Total documented violations: [____]

C. Revocation of Consent / Stop Requests

• ☐ Claimant never provided consent to Respondent.
• ☐ Claimant orally asked Respondent to stop on [__/__/____]; calls continued.
• ☐ Claimant replied "STOP" to a text message on [__/__/____]; messages continued.
• ☐ Claimant's number was on the National DNC list; Respondent had no established business relationship and no express consent.

D. Indicia of Autodialer / Prerecorded Voice / Spoofed Caller-ID

• ☐ Pause or "dead air" before a live agent connected
• ☐ Artificial or prerecorded voice via automated calling equipment (KRS 367.461)
• ☐ Identical scripted message across multiple calls
• ☐ Misleading or "spoofed" caller-ID (a prohibited act under KRS 367.46955(9), triggering the private civil action in KRS 367.46999(4))
• ☐ Ringless voicemail drops
• ☐ Other: [________________________________]

III. Legal Basis

A. Federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act — 47 U.S.C. § 227

The TCPA and the FCC's rules at 47 C.F.R. § 64.1200 prohibit, among other things:

• ☐ Autodialed or prerecorded calls/texts to a cell phone without prior express consent — 47 U.S.C. § 227(b)(1)(A)(iii)
• ☐ Prerecorded telemarketing calls to a residential line without prior express written consent — 47 U.S.C. § 227(b)(1)(B); 47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(a)(3)
• ☐ Telemarketing calls to a number on the National Do-Not-Call Registry — 47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(c)(2)
• ☐ Calls to a number on Respondent's internal do-not-call list / failure to maintain such a list — 47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(d)
• ☐ Unsolicited advertisements sent to a fax machine — 47 U.S.C. § 227(b)(1)(C)

Statutory damages. Section 227(b)(3) permits actual loss or $500 per violation, with a discretionary increase to no more than $1,500 for a willful or knowing violation. Section 227(c)(5) separately requires more than one call within a 12-month period by or on behalf of the same entity and permits actual loss or up to $500 per qualifying violation, with a discretionary increase to no more than three times that amount. The federal statute of limitations is four (4) years. 28 U.S.C. § 1658(a).

B. Kentucky Telephone Solicitation Statute — KRS 367.46951 to 367.46999

Kentucky's telephone-solicitation statute prohibits enumerated telemarketing acts and practices. KRS 367.46955. A violation of KRS 367.46951 to 367.46999 is also declared an unfair or deceptive trade practice under KRS 367.46967, with the Attorney General empowered to enforce.

For misleading caller-ID violations specifically, KRS 367.46999(4) authorizes a private civil action by "a person or class of persons" who received a call in violation of KRS 367.46955(9), for: (1) appropriate injunctive relief; (2) actual damages; (3) actual expenses including court costs and attorney's fees; and (4) punitive damages. The action may be brought in the county where the plaintiff resides or has a principal place of business.

C. Automated Calling Equipment — KRS 367.461 to 367.469

Kentucky separately regulates "automated calling equipment" used to deliver recorded messages, requiring consent and disclosures and restricting random/sequential dialing and call times (8:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.). KRS 367.461. KRS 367.467 makes the remedies of the Consumer Protection Act applicable to violations of these provisions.

D. Kentucky Consumer Protection Act — KRS 367.170, 367.220

Unfair, false, misleading, or deceptive acts or practices in trade or commerce are unlawful under KRS 367.170 ("unfair" means "unconscionable"). A consumer who purchases or leases goods/services primarily for personal, family, or household purposes and suffers an ascertainable loss may bring a private action under KRS 367.220 to recover actual damages, equitable relief, punitive damages where appropriate, and reasonable attorney's fees and costs (KRS 367.220(3)). The KCPA limitations period is one year after AG action terminates or two years after the KRS 367.170 violation, whichever is later (KRS 367.220(5)).

IV. Demand

Within fourteen (14) days of receipt of this letter, Respondent must:

1. ☐ Immediately and permanently cease all calls, texts, and faxes to Claimant and add Claimant's number(s) to Respondent's internal do-not-call list;
2. ☐ Preserve all records relating to the communications (see Litigation Hold below);
3. ☐ Identify every vendor, dialer platform, lead source, and entity involved;
4. ☐ Produce any consent record Respondent contends authorized the contacts;
5. ☐ Pay a settlement sum of $[________________________________] in full resolution of Claimant's TCPA and Kentucky telephone-solicitation / KCPA claims; and
6. ☐ Other: [________________________________].

Settlement Calculation

V. Litigation Hold / Evidence Preservation Notice

Respondent and its officers, agents, employees, vendors, and successors are directed to immediately suspend any document-destruction practice and to preserve all documents and electronically stored information ("ESI") relating to the communications, including but not limited to:

• ☐ Call-detail records, dialer logs, and campaign records for Claimant's number(s)
• ☐ Outbound calling lists, "scrub" records, and DNC suppression files
• ☐ Records of consent, opt-in, lead-purchase, and the source of Claimant's number
• ☐ Internal do-not-call list and opt-out/stop-request records
• ☐ Prerecorded/automated message audio, text-message content, and fax images
• ☐ Caller-ID configuration, spoofing, and number-rotation records (KRS 367.46955(9))
• ☐ Contracts with dialer platforms, lead generators, and marketing vendors
• ☐ Telemarketer registration filings (KRS 367.46971) and bond records (KRS 367.46981)
• ☐ ESI metadata, audit logs, server backups, and cloud-storage data

Spoliation may result in adverse-inference instructions, monetary sanctions, and independent liability.

VI. Response Deadline and Consequences

Respondent must provide a written response within fourteen (14) days of receipt, directed to undersigned counsel at the address above.

If Respondent fails to respond or to resolve this matter, Claimant will, without further notice:

1. File suit under the TCPA, 47 U.S.C. § 227, in the U.S. District Court for the [Eastern/Western] District of Kentucky, seeking actual loss or $500 per violation (whichever is greater), with a discretionary increase up to 3× for willful or knowing violations and injunctive relief;
2. Assert claims under KRS 367.46999(4) (caller-ID), KRS 367.467 (automated-calling-equipment/CPA remedies), and KRS 367.220 (KCPA) in the Circuit Court for [________________________________] County, Kentucky, seeking actual damages, punitive damages where appropriate, and attorney's fees;
3. File complaints with the FCC, the FTC (DoNotCall.gov / ReportFraud.ftc.gov), and the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General, Office of Consumer Protection; and
4. Pursue all other available remedies.

All rights, claims, defenses, and remedies are expressly reserved.

Signature Block

This demand is made in good faith and without prejudice to any rights, claims, or remedies available under Kentucky or federal law.

Respectfully,

_______________________________________________
[Attorney Name]
[Law Firm Name]
[Street Address]
[City], Kentucky [Zip Code]
Phone: [________________________________]
Email: [________________________________]
Kentucky Bar No.: [________________________________]

Attorney for [________________________________]

Enclosures:

• ☐ Call log / screenshots of texts / fax images
• ☐ Phone records evidencing the calls
• ☐ DNC Registry confirmation
• ☐ Prior stop/opt-out correspondence
• ☐ Other: [________________________________]

cc:

• ☐ Client file
• ☐ [________________________________]

Pre-Send Checklist

• ☐ Confirm number type (cell vs. residential) and DNC registration date
• ☐ Confirm no consent, express request, or established business relationship
• ☐ Document each call/text/fax with date, time, and caller ID (each is a separate violation)
• ☐ Confirm 4-year federal SOL (28 U.S.C. § 1658(a)) has not run
• ☐ If caller-ID was spoofed/misleading, plead the private action under KRS 367.46999(4) (verify writing/verification requirement of KRS 367.46995)
• ☐ Evaluate KRS 367.220 KCPA "ascertainable loss" element for any consumer-transaction claim
• ☐ Identify vendor/lead-source for vicarious-liability theory
• ☐ Send certified mail, return receipt requested; retain green card and tracking
• ☐ Calendar 14-day response deadline
• ☐ Document litigation-hold delivery

Sources and References

• 47 U.S.C. § 227 — Telephone Consumer Protection Act: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/47/227
• 47 C.F.R. § 64.1200 — FCC TCPA implementing rules: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-64/subpart-L/section-64.1200
• 28 U.S.C. § 1658 — 4-year federal statute of limitations: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/28/1658
• KRS 367.46955 — Prohibited telephone solicitation acts and practices: https://law.justia.com/codes/kentucky/chapter-367/section-367-46955/
• KRS 367.46999 — Penalties; private civil action (subsec. (4)): https://codes.findlaw.com/ky/title-xxix-commerce-and-trade/ky-rev-st-sect-367-46999/
• KRS 367.461 — Automated calling equipment: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=34890
• KRS 367.170 — Kentucky Consumer Protection Act, unlawful acts: https://law.justia.com/codes/kentucky/chapter-367/section-367-170/
• KRS 367.220 — Private action; attorney's fees; punitive damages: https://law.justia.com/codes/kentucky/chapter-367/section-367-220/
• FCC Consumer Complaint Center: https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/
• National Do Not Call Registry: https://www.donotcall.gov/
• Kentucky Attorney General — Consumer Protection: https://www.ag.ky.gov/Priorities/Consumer-Protection
• FTC Report Fraud: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/