STOP Telemarketers Dead In Their Tracks

By Jim Edwards

(c) Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved
http://www.thenetreporter.com
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Picture this: you're sitting down to a quiet meal with
your family one evening.

Just as you reach for the mashed potatoes the phone rings.

It might be your mother calling with news on the upcoming
family reunion, so you make a mad dash for the phone just
in time to catch it before the answering machine picks up.

As you wipe mashed potatoes off the front of your best
shirt you hear an unfamiliar voice on the line start
pitching you about aluminum siding.

You've just experienced what many call "telemarketer hell!"

But, thanks to a new service offered by the FTC (Federal
Trade Commission), this little scenario should happen much
less often in the coming year.

Telemarketers may finally face a law they can't bypass when
it comes to calling consumers on the phone to solicit
business.

By harnessing the power of the Internet to eliminate layers
of paperwork and delays, the FTC created the "National Do
Not Call" registry where consumers can register not to
receive unsolicited sales calls.

Though the law exempts certain political, charitable and
other organizations, it does cover professional tele-
marketing companies and those calling on behalf of those
organizations.

After the plan gets fully implemented in October 2003, any
company found violating the law will face fines of up to
$11,000 per call.

Despite the fact the registry does not eliminate all
unsolicited calls, it does seem a wise move to sign up
(unless you enjoy chatting with telemarketers over your
mashed potatoes).

Log on to www.donotcall.gov and click the "Register a Phone
Number" link.

The service allows you to register up to 3 phone numbers,
so you can even put your cell phone on the do not call
list.

Once you register a phone number, the website will send you
a confirmation email with a link you must click before your
phone number gets added to the database.

Some common questions people ask about the National Do Not
Call Registry include:

How soon after I register will I notice a reduction in
calls?

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.

How long until my phone number shows up in the registry?

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.

What if a telemarketer calls me after I've signed up?

As long as you have the telemarketer's company name or
phone number you can file a complaint online through the
"File a Complaint" page on the www.donotcall.gov website.

For more information, log on to www.donotcall.gov today.