Brazil's Congress advances consumer protection bills on telemarketing calls and hidden fees

The Brazilian Senate approved a draft law proposed by Senator Ana Paula Lobato (PSB‑MA) that introduces stricter rules against unsolicited telemarketing and debt‑collection calls. The measure imposes fines of up to R$ 50,000 for companies that ignore consumer block requests, creates a national phone registry overseen by Anatel, and requires electronic records of opt‑out requests. It also bans practices such as masked numbers and short‑duration automated calls, and tightens identity verification for chip activation and number portability. The proposal now heads to the Chamber of Deputies for further consideration.

In the Chamber of Deputies, Bill 906/26 seeks to improve price transparency for installment purchases. It would amend the Consumer Defense Code to obligate merchants to display the total price payable on credit, the number and value of installments, and the effective annual rate (TEA) or total effective cost (CET). The bill also bans “hidden charges” such as undisclosed fees, conditional discounts, or indirect surcharges, and requires online retailers to present this information before order confirmation, with an unchecked consent box for the consumer. Both measures must be approved by the Senate and signed into law by the president to take effect.