The FTC Caller ID Transmission Rule

The FTC Caller ID Transmission Rule is one of the simplest telemarketing rules to follow and one of the easiest to get wrong. Every outbound telemarketing call you place to a consumer must transmit a Caller ID number. That number has to be active, meaning the consumer can call it back and reach a working line. When they do, the line has to give basic information about the company that called and offer a way to ask not to be called again about that offer. A spoofed, disconnected, or random Caller ID spoofing number does not meet the rule and is exactly the kind of thing regulators look for.

Setting the Caller ID in VICIdial

In VICIdial the number that goes out with your calls is the Campaign Caller ID field on the Campaign Detail screen. Set it per campaign to a DID (direct inward dialing) that you own and that answers, so a returned call hits a line that identifies you and routes to an opt-out option. Because the same number shows on every call in that campaign, it should also be a number you have registered and attested with your carrier under STIR/SHAKEN, or it risks being marked as suspicious before it ever rings. The CNAM (caller ID name) record tied to that number controls the display name a consumer sees, so keep it accurate and matched to your business name.

This rule sits inside the broader FTC framework, which our VICIdial compliance overview walks through end to end. The Caller ID requirement is part of the same Telemarketing Sales Rule that defines abandonment and disclosure duties, so it is worth reading alongside what the FTC Telemarketing Sales Rule covers. When someone calls your number back and asks to be removed, log that to your Internal DNC so the campaign stops dialing them.

How a returned call should flow

The diagram below shows what has to happen when a consumer calls your transmitted number back: they reach a live, identifying line, hear who called, and can request removal that lands in your suppression list.

flowchart TD
  A[Outbound call placed] --> B[Campaign Caller ID sent]
  B --> C[Consumer calls number back]
  C --> D{Line active}
  D -->|No| E[Rule violation]
  D -->|Yes| F[Company info played]
  F --> G[Offer do not call again]
  G --> H[Add to internal DNC]
  H --> I[Campaign stops dialing]

VICIfast ships campaigns with a real, attested Caller ID and a callback path that identifies you and captures opt-outs, so this rule is handled the day you go live. See pricing to get started.