Brazil Senate Committee Approves Bill to Block Wrong-Number Debt Collection and Telemarketing Calls

Brazil has moved a step closer to strengthening consumer protections against unwanted telephone calls. This happened after a Senate committee approved legislation allowing individuals to permanently block telemarketing and debt collection calls intended for someone else.

The proposal, Bill (PL) 2616/2025, was approved on July 8 by the Federal Senate’s Transparency, Governance, Oversight and Consumer Protection Committee (CTFC). The bill would require companies to permanently remove consumers’ telephone numbers from their databases when those numbers are repeatedly contacted regarding debts or commercial offers intended for unrelated individuals.

The legislation also proposes the creation of a national opt-out registry for commercial communications and establishes penalties for organizations that fail to comply with the new requirements.

The bill must still complete Brazil’s legislative process before becoming law.

Consumer Protections Against Wrong-Number Calls

The proposed legislation addresses a common consumer complaint involving repeated debt collection and telemarketing calls directed to people who are not the intended recipients.

Under the bill, consumers who receive collection calls or commercial communications intended for unknown individuals would be able to request the permanent removal of their telephone numbers from the databases used by telemarketing companies and debt recovery organizations. The bill specifies that informing a company that they do not know the person being sought would be sufficient to initiate the removal request.

Companies would also be required to electronically record the consumer’s request, creating a formal record that the notification was received. If enacted, organizations would be prohibited from continuing to contact that telephone number regarding another person’s account or commercial communications after the request has been processed.

The measure is intended to reduce repeated unwanted communications while providing consumers with a formal mechanism to prevent future contacts involving unrelated individuals.

National Registry Proposed

In addition to the permanent removal requirement, the legislation would establish a national registry for consumers who do not wish to receive commercial telemarketing contacts.

The proposed registry would associate telephone numbers with a consumer’s CPF or CNPJ registration. Before initiating commercial telemarketing calls, companies would be required to consult the registry to determine whether the consumer has opted out of receiving such communications.

Under the proposal, Brazil’s National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) would be responsible for regulating, implementing, and overseeing the registry.

The system would function as a centralized mechanism allowing consumers to indicate that they do not wish to receive unsolicited commercial communications from participating organizations.

Proposed Penalties

The legislation establishes a graduated enforcement framework for organizations that fail to comply with the proposed requirements.

Possible enforcement measures include:

• Warnings.
• Suspension of business activities related to the violations.
• Daily administrative fines of up to R$50,000.

The penalties would apply to organizations that continue contacting consumers after a valid request for permanent removal or otherwise violate the proposed requirements.

The specific enforcement process would be subject to regulations issued by the appropriate authorities if the legislation is ultimately enacted.

Legislative Status

The bill was approved by the Senate committee in a conclusive vote during a supplementary round of consideration.

In recommending approval, Senator Laércio Oliveira, who served as the bill’s rapporteur, said the proposal seeks to rebalance the relationship between companies and consumers by recognizing that informing a company that they do not know the individual being sought should be sufficient to stop repeated contacts. 

The proposal may proceed directly to the Chamber of Deputies unless senators file an appeal requesting that the full Senate vote on the measure.

If no such appeal is filed, the Chamber of Deputies will consider the legislation before it can be sent for presidential approval.

As a result, the proposal has not yet become law.

Broader Implications

If enacted, the legislation would introduce new compliance obligations for businesses that conduct telemarketing campaigns or engage in debt collection activities by telephone.

Organizations may need to establish processes for promptly honoring requests to permanently remove telephone numbers associated with wrong-number contacts, maintain accurate consumer records, and ensure compliance with any future regulations governing the national opt-out registry.

For debt collection organizations, the proposal could place additional emphasis on maintaining accurate contact information and promptly addressing reports that a telephone number does not belong to the intended consumer.

What the Bill Could Mean 

PL 2616/2025 represents another legislative effort in Brazil to strengthen consumer protections relating to unwanted communications.

While the proposal remains under legislative review, it signals increased attention to wrong-number debt collection calls and unsolicited telemarketing communications. Companies operating in Brazil may continue monitoring the bill’s progress as it advances through the Chamber of Deputies and, if approved, toward final enactment.