§ 14-401.15.  Telephone sales recovery services.

(a) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, it shall be unlawful for any person or firm to solicit or require payment of money or other consideration in exchange for recovering or attempting to recover:

(1) Money or other valuable consideration previously tendered to a telephonic seller, as defined in G.S. 66-260; or

(2) Prizes, awards, or other things of value that the telephonic seller represented would be delivered.

(b) A violation of this section shall be punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor. Any violation involving actual collection of money or other consideration from a customer shall be punishable as a Class H felony.

(c) This section does not apply to attorneys licensed to practice law in this State, to persons licensed by the North Carolina Private Protective Services Board, or to any collection agent properly holding a permit issued by the Department of Insurance to do business in this State. (1997-482, s. 2.)