Hello, and welcome to Common Cents, where we discuss topics relevant to those living below the poverty line and other topics that are of importance to those living paycheck to paycheck. This week, we'll be focusing on something I'd like all telemarketers to do -- Do Not Call!
While I was attending class this week, I noticed that someone had printed out an email and stapled it to the bulletin board. The email claimed that all cell phone numbers would be released to telemarketers within nine days, resulting in calls made to your phone - at your expense - by these telemarketers, and provided an 888 number to call to get your name placed on the cell phone 'do not call' list. Unfortunately, these emails are making the rounds in people's inboxes, forwarded and replicated and passed on, and often with inaccurate or nonfactual information. Here's what you really need to know about the National Do Not Call Registry.
Telemarketers Can Dial Up My Cell Phone?!
Yes and no. FCC regulations strictly prohibit the use of autodialer systems to call cell phones, which means that telemarketers cannot use these methods at all to call cell phones. Most telemarketers rely on automatic dialing systems to call people, and as such, this generally prohibits them from calling cell phone numbers at all.
Who Do I Have to Pay?
Despite what advertisers would like to have you believe, joining the National Do Not Call Registry is free. However, some unscrupulous marketers would have you pay them for the service of adding your number - or worse, are fly-by-night operations that merely take your money and run. You should never pay to add your name to the National Do Not Call Registry.
How Do I Sign Up?
There are two ways to sign up for the National Do Not Call Registry:
1) You can do so over the Internet directly from the Register a Phone Number page, which is a sub-page of the National Do Not Call Registry's website. You can register up to three phone numbers simultaneously using this method, but you must have a valid email address and click the link in the confirmation email in order to confirm your registration.
2) You can do so over the phone by dialing 1-888-382-1222 (or TTY 1-866-290-4236) and following the instructions given. You must dial from the phone number you wish to add to the DNC registry.
You can sign up home phone numbers and personal cell phone numbers, and can do so at any time - there is no time limit. However, the National Do Not Call Registry does not cover business-to-business calls or faxes, and as such you should not try to register business phone numbers with the registry.
Once I Sign Up, What Happens Next?
One day after you sign up, your phone number is added to the National Do Not Call Registry. Telemarketers are required to search this registry every 31 days and remove numbers in the registry from their call lists; this means that telemarketers have a grace period of 31 days after the date of your registration in which they may not have removed your name from their lists yet.
How Long Will My Phone Number Remain In The Registry?
As a general rule, your phone number will remain in the registry for five years. However, if your phone number is disconnected, your phone number will be automatically removed from the registry. It may also be removed if you change the billing name on your account, change your service plan, or otherwise modify your phone service, even if there is no actual interruption of your service.
How Can I Verify That My Number Is In The National Do Not Call Registry?
You can verify whether a phone number is registered by either calling their toll-free number (1-888-382-1222) or using the Verify a Registration link on their website.
What If I Want To Remove My Number From The Registry?
To remove your number from the National Do Not Call Registry, you must call their toll-free number (1-888-382-1222) from the number you wish to remove from the registry.
So What Does This Actually Protect Me From, Anyhow?
The National Do Not Call Registry is meant to serve to protect consumers from unsolicited telemarketing and sales requests. However, it does not actually stop all companies and organizations from calling you. The following organizations are exempt:
-- Any company, within 31 days of being added to the DNC registry. There is a grace period of 31 days after you have been added in which companies can still contact you.
-- Companies you have purchased a product from. Because you have established a 'business relationship' with this company, they are allowed to contact you up to 18 months after your last purchase, delivery, or payment to/from this company, even if you are on the National Do Not Call Registry.
-- Telephone surveys. Telephone surveys are not covered by the DNC registry, unless they are also attempting to sell or market to you.
-- Political solicitations and charities. Political solicitations and charities are also not covered by the DNC registry at all, as they do not fit its definition of 'telemarketing'. However, if a third-party telemarketer calls on behalf of a specific charity, the recipient may request not to receive any more calls from or on behalf of that charity. If a third-party telemarketer calls again on behalf of that charity, they may be subject to fines of up to $11,000.
So How Do I Stop 'Exempt' Companies From Bothering Me?
You can specifically request that a company add you to their internal Do Not Call list to prevent them from contacting you. If they contact you even after you have requested to be added to their Do Not Call list, they may be subject to a fine of up to $11,000. You can use this method to prevent individual telemarketers from contacting you even if you do not wish to register for the National Do Not Call Registry.
What If I Actually Want To Receive Telemarketing Calls From A Specific Company?
Whatever your reasons, even if your name is on the National Do Not Call Registry, you can permit companies to contact you by giving them written permission to do so.
They Keep Calling Me. How Do I File a Do Not Call Complaint?
To file a Do Not Call complaint, you will need either the name of the company that is contacting you, or the phone number of the company that called you, as well as the date on which the call occurred. You may file a complaint by either calling the National Do Not Call Registry's toll-free number (1-888-382-1222) or using the File a Complaint link on their website.
What About State Do Not Call Lists?
The National Do Not Call Registry's requirements are generally at least as restrictive as the laws of most states. However, particular states may be more restrictive in what telemarketers are allowed to do, may assess greater penalties for violations, and may require additional measures be taken by companies to protect you as the consumer.
You may wish to investigate the Consumer Rights section of your state government's website for more information on how your state legislates over telemarketers.
Don't be fooled by businesses and panic-stricken emails - you can prevent most telemarketers from calling you with only a few minutes' work on your computer or telephone. Five years of protection for no monetary charge and just a few moments of your time - what's not to like?
Food for Thought:
What is the worst experience you've ever had with a telemarketer? How have you handled telemarketers in the past?
Austin Cushing, Money Correspondent:
Austin's column, Common Cents, published every Tuesday to Gather Essentials: Money, is focused on life below the poverty line and other topics that are of importance to those living paycheck to paycheck.
Austin Cushing is an eccentric writer, programmer, poet, and photographer, as well as a former maintenance worker for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. He writes from personal experience and personal opinion, and enjoys finding the humor in even the darkest aspects of the world. In addition to his column, he maintains Gather groups on a diverse range of topics, from gaming to political discourse.
You can find all of Austin's Common Cents columns at http://commoncents.gather.com. Keep up with Austin's other postings and Gather activity by joining his Gather network -- just click here and select the orange "Connect" button on the left-hand side of the page.
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A Scandalous Overture
You lose your exemption and the protection of the DNC list if, at any time, you do "business" with the company calling. That can be as simple as calling them for information or filling out an internet form. Once you have established a business relationship with a compan, they may call you again, list notwithstanding.
would you believe years ago i had a telemarketer call me back screaming because I hung up on him.
Thanks for a good informative article.
Thank you for this reminder and the handy links.
One of my favorite Seinfeld episodes of all time was when he asked if he could call the telemarketer back; at his home number..... LOL
When a telemarketer calls our house, I ask for his/her mother's maiden name, his/her SS#, address, etc. They usually hang up before I get too far with my questions.
And on another note...The jokes potential customers play on telemarketers are fine, and even cute. You probably caught them off guard while poking fun, and they in turn got your message loud and clear. But please don't be rude until you've been as firm as you can be in saying no. Telemarketers are paid to dodge your fluffy "No," and not just to get to that sale. They work with all the self esteem they can muster. I used to work a telemarketing job, and I hated it! But it did give me lots more respect for those individuals who stuck it out and excelled. I had a lot of nasty people to deal with on the phone, and I was dealing with executives of businesses. I thought that the majority of business personnel would be slightly more receiving, since they too had a job to do, and a service or ware to sell. This was only the case about 45% of the time. That meant a far better portion was better at saying "No" than I was about getting them to even say a "Maybe." My bosses, yes several of them, told me that my numbers were awesome for being new to it all. However, I left that job after only two weeks, because I couldn't stomach the crap, I was supposed to convince each company, they so desperately needed.
I ask you, that during the next telemarketer's phone call, you just say "No, and please take me off your list. Goodbye." You don't even need to say please and most of them will never call you again. If the caller is honest, they will delete your number from the "list." This list is recycled mind you, so if you say, "Oh, I don't think I want to partake in this right now," they WILL eventually call you back. The managers tell them to put you back on the list, and go right on to the next call. The time between that call and the next time they call you may be between five minutes to two weeks, depending on the demographics they're working on, and how many people they have recycling the business' "list."
So I second Austin's great advice. Use such tools like this, and you have a fair chance of avoiding the whole thing.
Somehow there is a loophole for those groups, and the worse part was the automated attack adds. How do we get a Do Not Call list for groups like that?
I had to add my name, address, e-mail, phone number.
Thank you for all you do here for us. You keep us so well informed. I do appreciate that very much. people like to pray on the elders. Into false claims. there was report of a women on the news a few days ago , Las Vegas, NV went to the bank took out money for this women, so on & so forth. Sad world we live in. We always need to be aware & informed. Thank you for keeping us aware. God Bless you & yours always 10* I let my answer machine take all calls, normal they call at dinner time, they always hang up, never leave a message.
Well done, as is usual for you! :=)
I am on the do not call list for all my phone numbers.
I learned a sure fire way of discourging TM calls. After I get their name and location, I ask them to hold on while I get something from the stove...I come back and if they're still on the line, I'll make a knocking sound and lay the phone down again, open/shut the door, and talk to my cats (far from the receiver). When I finally hear the annoying busy tone or check my cell, the person is long gone.
I write a note on the form that came (usually for a credit card application) and I tell them that I am not interested. Then I write, "please remove me from your mailing list" and sign and date it. The company pays the postage and I get my message across.
The other day I went to the mailbox and was very disappointed because there was no mail at all! Not even junk mail! It took me a few minutes to realize that my "do not mail" tecnique was working very well. LOL Now I'm satisfied
Valerie, I have done the return mail thing too...one particular credit card company was sending me 2 or 3 forms A DAY!!! and I was tired of it, so I started sending them all back to them with notes saying take me off the list...the number of credit card applications I receive now is vastly smaller :-)
How does one register for the DO NOT SEND ME YOUR CRAP list?
I just wanted to say I am finally going through what is now under 6,500 pieces of gather new mail that is in my inbox on here. So with that in mind I have finally come to a piece of mail that was addressed to me in regards this article submission you have created to share with the gather community. Thank you for taking the time and sharing your piece with us here at gather. :o)
My First Foreign Robo Call;