Are Marketing Calls Hounding You? When Are They Unlawful in the UAE, and How Can You Stop Them and File a Complaint?

12 June 2026

Your phone rings for the fifth time today: an unknown number, and a voice offering you a loan, a property, or a card you never asked for. You hang up, and they call again tomorrow — perhaps within the hour. But this nuisance is no longer something you must endure in silence; the State has put in place a regulatory framework that precisely defines who may call you, when, and how often, and grants the consumer clear tools to stop these calls and complain about them. In this article we explain when a marketing call is unlawful, what your rights are, how to stop the nuisance step by step, and what penalties await violators.

Are Marketing Calls Hounding You? When Are They Unlawful in the UAE, and How Can You Stop Them and File a Complaint?

First: Which Marketing Calls Did the Law Regulate?

Marketing phone calls are those made by a company or a natural person to the consumer for the purpose of marketing, advertising, or promoting products or services it provides, or on behalf of those it authorizes, via a fixed or mobile number. They also include marketing text messages and marketing messages through social-media applications. "Unwanted calls," meanwhile, are those made in breach of the Resolution, and do not include calls made at the consumer's own request.

The law defined the "consumer" as the natural person (the individual), and established the "Do-Not-Call Registry (DNCR)" — a unified national registry supervised by the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority to protect the consumer from unwanted marketing calls.

To whom do these provisions apply?

• To all companies licensed in the State, including those located in free zones, that market their products or services via phone calls.

• Natural persons are prohibited from making marketing calls for products or services in their own name or on behalf of those they authorize, via a fixed or mobile number licensed to them by telecom operators in the State.

Second: The Times and Controls Binding on Companies

The Resolution obliged companies to exercise sufficient care to avoid disturbing the consumer, and to adhere to the highest standards of transparency, credibility, and integrity. The most notable of these controls are:

Permitted hours: making marketing calls only during the period from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

No recontact after refusal: not calling again if the consumer refused the product or service on the first call.

Recontact limit: where there is no answer or the call is ended, no more than once a day and at most twice a week.

Asking permission first: asking the consumer whether they wish to continue the call before starting the marketing and promotion.

Identification: identifying the company and the purpose of the call at the start of the call.

No pressure or deception: not using any unjustified pressure, and avoiding deceit and misleading when marketing.

In addition, the Resolution imposed on the company a set of regulatory obligations when carrying out the activity, including:

• Obtaining prior approval from the competent authority to practice telephone marketing.

• Using local numbers issued by licensed telecom operators and registered under the company's trade license, and not using numbers that are unregistered or not owned by it.

• Recording the marketing calls and notifying the consumer of this recording at the start of the call.

• Keeping a register of all calls per the competent authority's form, and not destroying it before the expiry of the period it determines.

• Training marketers on professional conduct ethics and on the basic principles of using the Do-Not-Call Registry (DNCR).

• Disclosing the source of obtaining the consumer's numbers and data if the competent authority requests it.

Third: How Does the Law Protect You as a Consumer?

The Resolution granted the consumer direct protection, most notably the Do-Not-Call Registry, the right to complain, and a prohibition on disposing of their data:

Stopping calls: the consumer may register in the Do-Not-Call Registry (DNCR) to stop receiving marketing calls and to file complaints about them.

Right to complain: the consumer may file a complaint with the competent authority regarding unwanted calls.

Data protection: disclosing the consumer's personal data without their consent, or trading in it to be re-processed for marketing purposes, is prohibited.

Own-initiative investigation: the competent authority may gather information, inquire, and conduct an investigation on its own initiative whenever it has sufficient grounds.

Fourth: How to Stop the Calls and File a Complaint — Practical Steps

Step 1 — Register in the Do-Not-Call Registry (DNCR)

The Do-Not-Call Registry is a national registry supervised by the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, allowing you to list your number to stop marketing calls. In practice, registration is done by sending the word "DNCR" to the number 1012.

Step 2 — Report the Nuisance Call

Upon receiving an unwanted marketing call, a natural person can report it by sending the word "REPORT" followed by the offending number to 1012.

Step 3 — File a Complaint with the Competent Authority

You have the right to file a complaint with the competent authority regarding unwanted calls, provided the complaint includes: your name and phone number, the name and phone number of the party complained against, and any document supporting the complaint, if any.

Which body do you turn to? This depends on the caller's activity: the Central Bank for calls relating to the services of banks, financial institutions, and insurance companies; the Securities and Commodities Authority for securities- and commodities-trading services; and the local competent authorities for other products and services — while the Ministry of Economy undertakes general oversight.

Fifth: Penalties on Violators

The Resolution referred the determination of violations and administrative penalties to Cabinet Resolution No. (57) of 2024, the most notable of which are:

10,000 – 150,000

AED on companies

Fines varying according to the type, nature, and repetition of the violation.

7 – 90

days' suspension

Full or partial suspension of the activity, with possible cancellation of the violating establishment's license.

5,000

AED on an individual

On a violating natural person for the first time, with disconnection of their registered numbers until the fine is paid.

Central Bank

separate schedule

Special penalties on banks, financial institutions, and insurance companies, set by the Central Bank.

This applies without prejudice to any more severe penalty provided for in the legislation in force in the State.

Troubled by nuisance marketing calls? Contact AWADH ALMHEIRI LAW FIRM to examine your matter and resolve it

If marketing calls or messages persist despite your refusal, or your data has been traded without your consent, or you are a company seeking to comply with telephone-marketing controls and avoid fines, our legal team studies your case and guides you to the correct course of action — from registering in the Do-Not-Call Registry and preparing the complaint, to following up before the competent authority.

Book your legal consultation now — AWADH ALMHEIRI LAW FIRM AND LEGAL CONSULTATIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

+During what hours is marketing calling permitted?

Marketing calls are permitted only during the period from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; any call outside this period is in breach of the Resolution.

+They called me despite my earlier refusal — is that a violation?

Yes. If you refused the product or service on the first call, they may not call you again. And where you did not answer or you ended the call, they may not call again more than once a day and at most twice a week.

+How do I stop marketing calls for good?

By registering in the Do-Not-Call Registry (DNCR), supervised by the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority; in practice this is done by sending the word "DNCR" to 1012. After registering, companies are prohibited from calling you for marketing purposes.

+How do I report a number that disturbed me?

A natural person can report unwanted calls by sending the word "REPORT" followed by the offending number to 1012, and is also entitled to file a formal complaint with the competent authority.

+What data must the complaint include?

The complaint must include the name and phone number of the complainant, the name and phone number of the party complained against, and any document supporting the complaint, if any.

+Are individuals allowed to market via their personal phones?

No. Natural persons are prohibited from making marketing calls for products or services in their own name or on behalf of those they authorize, via a fixed or mobile number licensed to them; a violator faces a fine and disconnection of their registered numbers.

+May a company sell my number or data to another company?

No. Disclosing the consumer's personal data without their consent, or trading in it to be re-processed by companies wishing to market their products or services via phone calls, is prohibited.

+Does the Resolution cover text and social-media messages?

Yes. The definition of marketing calls in the Resolution includes marketing text messages and marketing messages via social-media applications.

+Does the law apply to free-zone companies?

Yes. The provisions apply to all companies licensed in the State, including those located in free zones, when marketing their products or services via phone calls.

+What is the penalty if a company breaches the controls?

Under Cabinet Resolution No. (57) of 2024, the company faces fines ranging from AED 10,000 to AED 150,000 according to the type and repetition of the violation, with possible full or partial suspension of the activity for no less than 7 and no more than 90 days, up to cancellation of the license, and without prejudice to any more severe penalty.

Legal References

• Cabinet Resolution No. (56) of 2024 on the Regulation of Marketing via Phone Calls — Cabinet Resolution.

• Cabinet Resolution No. (57) of 2024 on Administrative Violations and Penalties for Acts in Breach of the Provisions of Resolution No. (56) of 2024 — Cabinet Resolution.

• Federal Law No. (15) of 2020 on Consumer Protection — Federal Law.

• Federal Decree-Law No. (45) of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data — Federal Decree-Law.

• Federal Decree-Law No. (3) of 2003 on the Regulation of the Telecommunications Sector — Federal Decree-Law.

Specialized Legal Consultation

AWADH ALMHEIRI LAW FIRM AND LEGAL CONSULTATIONS

Whether you are a consumer subjected to nuisance calls, or a company seeking to comply with telephone-marketing controls, our legal team guides you to your position, your rights, and the correct course of action.

✓Preparing and following up consumer complaints

✓Assessing telephone-marketing violations

✓Regulatory compliance for companies

✓Personal-data protection

AWADH ALMHEIRI LAW FIRM AND LEGAL CONSULTATIONS — to book your legal consultation, get in touch with us.

Legal Disclaimer

This content is published as part of efforts to spread legal culture and community awareness. It is general and informational in nature, does not constitute legal advice for any specific case, and legislation or the details of its application may change. Each case has its own circumstances that warrant independent study. For precise advice regarding your situation, please contact AWADH ALMHEIRI LAW FIRM AND LEGAL CONSULTATIONS. In case of any discrepancy in this translation, the Arabic text shall be the authoritative reference.