Consumers - Fight Back With FTC's Do Not Call Registry

The Federal Trade Commission has rolled out it’s National Do Not
Call Registry and the registration site already has over 700,000
registrants. This is great news for consumers who have grown
tired of annoying sales calls by pesky telemarketers.

Consumers can register online at www.donotcall.gov. You can
register up to three personal phone numbers at one time. This is
a free service established by the FTC and your “do not call”
registration is good for a 5-year period.

Additionally, a toll-free number is also available for those who
want to register by phone. The toll-free number is
1-888-382-1222. You must call from the phone number you want to
register when using the toll free registration service. 

The toll free number is only accessible to those states west of
the Mississippi River in the initial week of registration. The
program will spread nationwide the following week.

Telemarketers will be required to “clean” their call lists by
matching their list against the national “do not call” list
every 90 days starting in September 2003.

Companies who call listed people will be subject to fines of up
to $11,000 per violation. Enforcement will begin in October
2003. You will be able to file a “do not call violation”
complaint online or by phone.

Over two dozen states already have their own “do-not-call” lists
and most of these states plan to incorporate their lists into
the national registry. If your state is one of them, you do not
need to re-register for the national registry.

CAUTION: There have been reports of scam artists and identity
thieves calling people to request or confirm personal
information for this new registry. The FTC has posted this
warning to consumers on their web page:

“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 or phone solicitations that claim they can
or will register a consumer's name or phone number on a national
list – especially those that charge a fee – are a scam.
Consumers will be able to register directly with the FTC, or
through some state governments, but never private companies.”

Consumers should also be aware that some types of telephone
solicitation are exempt from the do-not-call protection.
Companies from which you have purchased, leased or rented from
in the previous 18 months are exempt. Also charities, surveys,
and calls on behalf of politicians will be exempt from this
service.

The National Do Not Call Registry does not cover business to
business calls.