Do Not Call Registries
The National Do Not Call Registry
Enacted in 2003, The National Do Not Call Registry is maintained by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and allows consumers to reduce the volume of unwanted telemarketing calls by placing their telephone number on a list that prohibits telemarketing companies from contacting them for solicitation purposes. Registration is free, and is limited to your home and mobile numbers (business and fax numbers are excluded). As of February 15, 2008, registration can now be a permanent registration (previously registration was only good for 5 years). Once a number is properly registered, telemarketing companies have 31 days in which to cease calling.
FRAUDFacts Tip: The U.S. Congress recently passed H.R. 3541: The Do-Not-Call Improvement Act of 2007, which was signed into law by President George W. Bush on February 15, 2008. This law provides permament power to the Federal Trade Commission to enforce the National Do Not Call Registry, and extended Registry inclusion from 5 years to a permanent status (until the consumer removes their telephone number from the list, or the FTC finds that number is invalid, disconnected, or re-assigned).
The FTC reports that more than 157 million telephone numbers are registered with the National Do Not Registry. Companies are required to “scrub” their telemarketing lists against the National Do Not Call Registry list and remove consumers who have registered their number with the Registry. Not all companies do, however, so you may still receive some telemarketing calls.
Will Registration with the National Do Not Call Registry Stop All Telemarketing Calls?
No. Registration with the National Do Not Call Registry does not prohibit calls from or on behalf of:
• Political organizations
• Charities (calling on their own behalf)
• Legitimate telephone surveys
• Companies with whom you have an existing business relationship (including customer service calls, calls for legitimate debt collection, and calls from companies with whom you have done business within the last 18 months or inquired about their services within the last 3 months)
• Companies to which you have previously provided written permission to call until you revoke that permission.
Registration will also not stop calls from companies that do not regularly scrub their marketing lists.
How Can I Register my Telephone Number with the National Do Not Call Registry?
You can register with the National Do Not Call Registry for FREE in two ways:
1. By calling toll free: 1-888-382-1222 (from the telephone number that you wish to register), or
2. By visiting the FTC’s Do Not Call Registration Website
The online registration process requires an active email address. If you register online, the FTC will send you an email message that contains a confirmation link. You need to click on the link in the email within 72 hours to confirm and finalize your registration. If you do not, your registration will be cancelled. If you do not have an email address, you should register by phone.
FRAUDFacts Tip: Contrary to urban legend and several popular scams, there is not a “National Cell Phone Do Not Call List” and your cell phone number is not in danger of being released to telemarketing companies. However, you may register your personal cellular phone number with the FTC’s National Do Not Call Registry.
What Happens If I am Listed and Telemarketers Still Call?
Substantial penalties can be imposed on companies for violations, up to $11,000 per incident, but generally only after your telephone number has been registered for three months or more. Remember that companies whom you have done business may still call you, as well as others that are exempted in the list above.
National Do Not Call Registry violations are reported to the FTC.*
Toll free number to file a Do Not Call complaint: 1-888-382-1222
TTY: 1-866-290-4236
FTC website to file a Do Not Call complaint online: FTC Do Not Call Violation Complaint Site
FRAUDFacts Tip: To file a Do Not Call complaint, the FTC requires the date that you received the call, and either the name or telephone number of the company that called.
State Do Not Call Registries
As another level of protection, many states have enacted their own state Do Not Call or “No Call” registries, and direct marketing companies are also required to scrub their telemarketing lists against these state lists. In some cases, the state’s list is merged with the National Do Not Call Registry, and in other cases a state may maintain its own separate list. Some states, such as Michigan, automatically register a consumer with the state level list when he or she registers with the National Do Not Call Registry.
For more information regarding individual state level Do Not Call lists, the Direct Marketing Association maintains an active list on its website.
Once again, not every company actively scrubs their lists against these Do Not Call lists, so you may still receive some telemarketing calls. Generally, the state level lists maintain the same exceptions as the national registry, and do not prohibit contact by companies who have an existing business relationship with you, calls made to business telephone numbers, calls from charities or political organizations, legitimate telephone surveys, legitimate debt collectors, or companies to whom you have given written permission to call.
What Happens If I am Listed and Telemarketers Still Call?
Complaints of violations of state level Do Not Call violations are generally handled by the state’s Attorney General’s Office or Consumer Protection Division.
FRAUDFacts Tip: If you receive an unwanted telemarketing call, you should inform the caller that you are not interested and request the caller to add your telephone number to the organization’s Do Not Call list. If your residential number is already registered with the National Do Not Call Registry, and/or your state’s Do Not Call registry, if applicable, you should also advise the caller of this and report any repeated violations to the appropriate government entity.
©Copyright 2008 by Michael Barnett. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use, copying, or distribution without permission is prohibited.
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