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Do-Not-Call List, Two Years Later

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the but-telemarketers-are-so-much-fun dept.

Carl Bialik writes "The Wall Street Journal is reporting that two years after the National Do Not Call Registry took effect, regulators say the system is working, but only six federal fines have been issued. More than half of registered consumers say they're still getting unwanted calls, according to a recent phone survey. Now, a fresh fight is brewing over which calls are restricted and which ones aren't. Twenty-five states maintain their own do-not-call lists, and many of them impose tougher restrictions on the kinds of calls that telemarketers can make."

4 of 426 comments (clear)

  1. Worked for me by Reality+Master+101 · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Here in Southern California, ever since I went on that list, I get almost no calls at all. Every so often I might get a call for a survey, but that's about it.

    But then, my calls had dropped pretty low even before the do-not-call list went into effect. I had learned the magic phrase, "Could you take me off the call list?", which I diligently said to every telemarketer. By law, they have to take you off, so that had already almost completely solved the problem. The national do-not-call list eliminated the last bits.

    --
    Sometimes it's best to just let stupid people be stupid.
    1. Re:Worked for me by lurker412 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Right. So lots of people are dumb. But why should the burden be placed on them to know the magic phrase? Seems to me that if someone screams "I'm on the do not call list" that should be good reason for a reputable company to never call the person again, regardless of legality. People get pissed when companies ignore the obvious. Don't you?

  2. Re:Ironic... by vmcto · · Score: 5, Insightful

    That doesn't mean their calls aren't unwanted... Just not illegal.

  3. What they let in: by ZachPruckowski · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Well, considering charities, political parties, pollsters, and anyone you've had a prior business relationship with can still call you, there is a significant percent of telemarketers who can get through.

    Then there is the fact that to report someone, you have to jump through hoops, and have a lot of information from the telemarketer, most people probably don't report illegal calls if they get them.

    Lastly, I think we need a "Do-Not-Fax" list, as it drives me crazy that people will send vacation offers (that are probably scams) to the office I work at sometimes (which is technically a residential number), and not only does it waste time, it wastes ink and paper. Essentially, we have to pay to get spammed.