TCPA Demand Letter - Louisiana

LOUISIANA TCPA DEMAND LETTER

Quick-Reference Summary

Sender Letterhead

[LAW FIRM NAME]
[________________________________]
[Street Address]
[City], Louisiana [Zip Code]
Phone: [________________________________]
Fax: [________________________________]
Email: [________________________________]
Louisiana Bar Roll 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 Louisiana 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 Louisiana Telephone Solicitation Relief Act of 2001, La. R.S. 45:844.11 et seq.

I. Parties

A. Claimant

[________________________________] ("Claimant") is a natural person and Louisiana resident domiciled at [________________________________], [City], Louisiana [Zip Code]. Claimant is the regular user and subscriber of the telephone number(s) identified above, is a "called party" protected by the federal TCPA, and is a "residential telephonic subscriber" within the protective purpose of the Telephone Solicitation Relief Act of 2001 (La. R.S. 45:844.11).

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 "telephonic solicitor" under La. R.S. 45:844.11 et seq. and a "person" engaged in "trade or commerce" under LUTPA, La. R.S. 51:1402. Respondent, directly or through agents, vendors, or lead generators, placed or caused to be placed the calls described below.

Respondent:

• ☐ Is registered with the Louisiana Secretary of State to transact business in Louisiana
• ☐ 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 [__/__/____]
• ☐ Registered on the Louisiana No-Call List since [__/__/____] (La. R.S. 45:844.13 — a registry separate from, though now coordinated with, the National Registry)
• ☐ 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 and/or Louisiana No-Call List; Respondent had no consent and no applicable exemption.

D. Indicia of Autodialer / Prerecorded Voice

• ☐ Pause or "dead air" before a live agent connected
• ☐ Artificial or prerecorded voice / automatic telephone dialing system (ATDS)
• ☐ Identical scripted message across multiple calls
• ☐ "Spoofed" or rotating caller-ID numbers
• ☐ 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. Louisiana Telephone Solicitation Relief Act of 2001 — La. R.S. 45:844.11 et seq.

Louisiana's Telephone Solicitation Relief Act protects residential telephonic subscribers from unsolicited and unwanted telephonic solicitations. La. R.S. 45:844.11. The State maintains a Louisiana "Do Not Call" listing (La. R.S. 45:844.13), administered by the Louisiana Public Service Commission. A telephonic solicitor that calls a number on the no-call list, without a recognized exemption, violates the Act; a registered solicitor may invoke the safe harbor of La. R.S. 45:844.17 only by showing the violation resulted from unintended error despite the written procedures, training, internal do-not-call list, and registry scrubbing the statute requires.

C. Louisiana Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law (LUTPA) — La. R.S. 51:1405, 51:1409

LUTPA declares unlawful "unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the conduct of any trade or commerce." La. R.S. 51:1405(A). Persistent unauthorized telemarketing that offends established public policy or is oppressive, unscrupulous, or substantially injurious to consumers may constitute such a practice.

Any person who suffers an ascertainable loss of money or movable property as a result of an unlawful practice may bring a private action for actual damages under La. R.S. 51:1409(A). If the court finds the practice "was knowingly used, after being put on notice by the attorney general," the court shall award three times the actual damages. Reasonable attorney's fees and costs are awarded where damages are recovered. The action is subject to a one-year liberative prescription running from the transaction or act. La. R.S. 51:1409(E). On commencement, plaintiff's counsel must mail a copy of the petition to the Attorney General. La. R.S. 51:1409(B).

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, Louisiana Telephone Solicitation Relief Act, and LUTPA 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 (national and Louisiana)
• ☐ 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 message audio, text-message content, and fax images
• ☐ Contracts with dialer platforms, lead generators, and marketing vendors
• ☐ Records bearing on the safe-harbor elements of La. R.S. 45:844.17 (written procedures, training, call log, registry use)
• ☐ Caller-ID configuration and number-rotation records
• ☐ 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/Middle/Western] District of Louisiana, 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 the Louisiana Telephone Solicitation Relief Act (La. R.S. 45:844.11 et seq.) and LUTPA (La. R.S. 51:1405, 1409) in the [________________________________] Judicial District Court, Parish of [________________________________], seeking actual damages, treble damages where the AG-notice predicate is met, and attorney's fees, and mail a copy of the petition to the Louisiana Attorney General (La. R.S. 51:1409(B));
3. File complaints with the FCC, the FTC (DoNotCall.gov / ReportFraud.ftc.gov), the Louisiana Public Service Commission (Do Not Call program), and the Louisiana Attorney General Consumer Protection Section; 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 Louisiana or federal law.

Respectfully,

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

Attorney for [________________________________]

Enclosures:

• ☐ Call log / screenshots of texts / fax images
• ☐ Phone records evidencing the calls
• ☐ National DNC / Louisiana No-Call registration confirmation
• ☐ Prior stop/opt-out correspondence
• ☐ Other: [________________________________]

cc:

• ☐ Client file
• ☐ [________________________________]

Pre-Send Checklist

• ☐ Confirm number type (cell vs. residential) and national/Louisiana no-call registration dates
• ☐ Confirm no consent and no applicable exemption
• ☐ 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)) AND the shorter 1-year LUTPA prescription (La. R.S. 51:1409(E)) have not run
• ☐ For LUTPA treble damages, confirm whether the AG previously put Respondent on notice (La. R.S. 51:1409(A))
• ☐ Assess La. R.S. 45:844.17 safe-harbor exposure
• ☐ Identify vendor/lead-source for vicarious-liability theory
• ☐ Calendar mailing of LUTPA petition copy to the Louisiana AG (La. R.S. 51:1409(B)) if suit is filed
• ☐ 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
• La. R.S. 45:844.11 — Telephone Solicitation Relief Act of 2001 (legislative findings): https://law.justia.com/codes/louisiana/revised-statutes/title-45/rs-45-844-11/
• La. R.S. 45:844.17 — Safe harbor: https://law.justia.com/codes/louisiana/revised-statutes/title-45/rs-45-844-17/
• La. R.S. 51:1405 — LUTPA, unlawful acts: https://law.justia.com/codes/louisiana/revised-statutes/title-51/rs-51-1405/
• La. R.S. 51:1409 — LUTPA, private actions: https://law.justia.com/codes/louisiana/revised-statutes/title-51/rs-51-1409/
• Louisiana Public Service Commission — Do Not Call Program: https://lpsc.louisiana.gov/
• FCC Consumer Complaint Center: https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/
• National Do Not Call Registry: https://www.donotcall.gov/
• Louisiana Attorney General — Consumer Protection: https://www.ag.state.la.us/Consumer
• FTC Report Fraud: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/