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National Do Not Call List Opens for Registrations
prockcore writes "The National Do Not Call Registry is up and running. Sign up so most telemarketers cannot call you starting October 1st. There are exemptions though, like for charities and political organizations." Note that many of the states which have opened their own registries will be sharing that data with the national list, so you may not have to re-register - check and see what your state is doing.
you can also call 888.382.1222, east of the Mississippi can call the same number after 7/7/03. Don't forget to ask if they want to switch to AT&T.
You should check out Spam Gourmet instead of creating whole yahoo or hotmail accounts. It has worked really well for me.
"Not knowing when the dawn will come, I open every door." - Emily Dickinson
You can register by phone as well, without giving out an email address. Info on how to register by phone is here.
He hates his job, but it pays him... They get around the do not call list because they're not "technically" telemarketing. They give away something for free. Free demonstrations. ;-) All that they do over the phone is try and get people to accept a free demonstration of some product. The sales people who go do the demo are the ones trying to sell stuff. I wonder if many other companies will be using techniques like this now?
This space for rent, inquire within.
Someone above quoted the FAQ that lists the exempt industries. (He also left off the second part: "You may still receive calls from political organizations, charities, telephone surveyors or companies with which you have an existing business relationship.")
I think it sucks too, but there's a reason for it: The Federal Trade commission is the one creating this list, and only those industries regulated by them are controllable by this list. For instance, phone companies are regulated by the FCC.
*&$% Congress should have plugged this hole by unifying a do-not-call across the various regulatory agencies.
You can bet that congressional campaigns were probably specifically exempted by the bill, though.
Design for Use, not Construction!
From a CNN article:
The FCC voted 5-0 Thursday to add its authority to the do-not-call list and to plug holes in its protections. The registry will now also block telemarketers from industries whose calls the FCC regulates, including airlines, banks and telephone companies.
Nice!
So, unless you call up Bill and have him forward it to you, that strategy wouldn't work anyhow.
On the other hand, I'm still waiting for my confirmation e-mail, so I don't know for sure exactly how this is working, it all came from their instructions.
I snagged a copy and emailed it on before it got posted to Slashdot:
.htm.
Tell Me More About the National Do Not Call Registry
Q: Why would I register my phone number with the National Do Not Call Registry?
A: The National Do Not Call Registry gives you an opportunity to limit the telemarketing calls you receive. On October 1, 2003, when the National Do Not Call Registry will be enforced, most telemarketers will be required to remove the numbers on the registry from their call lists.
Q: Who manages the National Do Not Call Registry?
A: The National Do Not Call Registry is managed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation's consumer protection agency.
Q: Why was the National Do Not Call Registry created?
A: The registry was created to offer consumers a choice regarding telemarketing calls. The FTC's decision to create the National Do Not Call Registry was the culmination of a comprehensive, three year review of the Telemarketing Sales Rule, as well as the Commission's extensive experience enforcing the Rule over seven years. The FTC held numerous workshops, meetings and briefings to solicit feedback from interested parties and considered over 64,000 public comments, most of which favored creating the registry. You can review the entire record of the Rule review at www.ftc.gov/bcp/rulemaking/tsr/tsrrulemaking/index
How Does Registration Work?
Q: How soon after I register will I notice a reduction in calls?
A: If you register by August 31, 2003, you will start receiving fewer telemarketing calls by October 1, 2003. If you register after September 1, 2003, telemarketers covered by the National Do Not Call Registry will have up to three months from the date you register to stop calling you.
Q: I've already registered on my state's do not call list. Do I need to register on the National Do Not Call Registry?
A: The answer depends on where you live. Most of the 26 states will that currently have active do not call lists will transfer numbers from their lists to the National Do Not Call Registry. A few will not. You can find out which states are transferring their do not call lists to the National Do Not Call Registry at www.ftc.gov/donotcall. If you live in a state that is transferring its do not call list to the national registry, you do not need to re-register. On the other hand, if you live in a state that has its own do not call list, but the state is not transferring numbers to the National Registry, then you need to register your own number on the National Registry. If you are uncertain whether you are on a state do not call list and wish to limit your telemarketing contacts, you can register with the National Do Not Call Registry.
Q: When I register my phone number, how long until it shows up on the National Do Not Call Registry?
A: After you register, your phone number will be available for telemarketers to remove it from their call lists by the next day. Telemarketers will have up to three months to get your phone number and remove it from their call lists.
Q: How long does it take after I delete my phone number for it to be deleted from the National Do Not Call Registry?
A: After you delete your phone number, it will be removed from the National Do Not Call Registry by the next day. But telemarketers have up to three months to access information about your deletion and add your number back to their call lists, if they choose to.
Q: If I registered by phone, will I receive a confirmation?
A: No, but you can verify that your number is on the registry online or by calling the registry's toll-free number, 1-888-382-1222; for TTY, call 1-866-290-4236.
Q: I received a phone call from someone offering to put my name on the National Do Not Call Registry. Should I let them?
A: No. The FTC will not allow private companies or other such third parties to "pre-register" consumers for the National Do Not Call Registry. Web sites
"If you live in a state west of the Mississippi River (including Minnesota or Louisiana), you can call toll-free, 1-888-382-1222 (TTY 1-866-290-4236), from the number you wish to register." -- From the FTC's web site
The original exemptions are due to the FTC not having control over airlines, banks, and phone companies. Those industries are regulated by the FCC. If you read this article at CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/06/27/do.not.c all.ap/index.html, you'll find the following quote:
"The FCC voted 5-0 Thursday to add its authority to the do-not-call list and to plug holes in its protections. The registry will now also block telemarketers from industries whose calls the FCC regulates, including airlines, banks and telephone companies."
So by the time it goes active (october 1) this thing WILL be useful.
--Atlantix