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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."

8 of 426 comments (clear)

  1. Ironic... by vmcto · · Score: 5, Funny

    Am I the only one that finds it shockingly ironic that the survey to determine if consumers are still receiving unwanted calls is done by initiating unwanted telephone calls?

    I mean isn't that bound to skew the results?

    Consumer: Hello?
    Survey Operator: We're conducting a survey on unwanted phone calls
    Consumer: OK...
    Survey Operator: Have you received any unwanted calls lately?
    Consumer: Yes... Quite recently actually!

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

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

  2. Do-Not-Survey list? by overpayd · · Score: 5, Funny
    More than half of registered consumers say they're still getting unwanted calls, according to a recent phone survey

    From TFA:Regulators say the system is working, but a recent random survey (by telephone) by the Customer Care Alliance, a Virginia-based consortium of three customer-relations consultants, found that 51% of registered consumers say they're still getting calls they think the list is supposed to block.

    So they conducted the survey by CALLING the people on the do-not-call list...
  3. 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 mpathetiq · · Score: 5, Informative

      Thank you for stating the simple phrase! I'm amazed at how many people scream and yell and get angry about telemarketers. One simple phrase "Please place me on your Do-not-Solicit list." would cure most of it.

      I worked as a telemarketer for a year. I heard people yell at me every day and it didn't change anything. Those people would get calls over and over and over. It was the ones who were calm and said the magic phrase didn't call again.

      A little polite respect gets you much farther than spewing vitriol across the telephone line.

      --
      Post-rock/Ambient/Drone and other noise.
    2. Re:Worked for me by AuMatar · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Because you show no polite respect to us. You've taken a job that you know annoys the hell out of 90% of the population. That shows an utter lack of consideration of any type for the rest of humainty. Be polite? If I met you I'd punch you in the face.

      --
      I still have more fans than freaks. WTF is wrong with you people?
    3. 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?

  4. 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.