Community Service Announcement: Do-Not-Call List

Do-Not-Call-List

Are you still being interrupted during dinner or your evening television program by telemarketers wanting you to buy this or that or put a roof on your apartment? Are you sick of rushing to the phone thinking it might be your sister calling and it is yet another sales pitch for something you never heard of and certainly don’t need?

Then STOP it!

The Federal Trade Commission had provided you with a solution but you need to take some action. Perhaps you were unaware that you could block most calls from folks trying to solicit your business over the phone by signing up for the national DO NOT CALL LIST.

• There is NO deadline. Sign up today if you have not done so already
• Applies to both cell phones and/or regular phones
• You can register BOTH of your phones, cell AND land line
• Process is simple

How to send telemarketers packing:

To add your name to the DO-NOT- CALL-LIST you may either:

• Register at www.DONOTCALL.gov or
• Call toll free 1(888) 382-1222. If you choose to call to register, then you must call from the number you wish to sign up.

Give a gift to a senior you know.

Want to do a major favor for some senior family member or friend? Then talk with them about this and handle it for them, if they agree that they would like to stop falling over things trying to get to the phone only to discover it was a telemarketer. Telemarketers are so bad that they have caused my 75 year old mom, who is a salt of the earth, good Christian woman to utter one of her few non-church words after rushing to the phone just to have someone trying to sell her something on the other end. She was definitely NOT happy. I have given her instructions on how to register her new phone number with DO NOT CALL.

Will ALL the calls stop?

Not all the calls will stop. But most of them will. Give them at least 31 days after you have signed up before you should expect most of the companies to have you in their system. But there are exceptions in the guidelines which will still allow certain types of calls. Those include:

• Calls from political organizations ( I know, we’re excited about getting those calls) as well as charities and telephone surveys
• Calls from companies with whom you have a business relationship (and they may continue to call up to 18 months after you purchased something from them or up to 3 months after you called them to inquire about something)
• Calls from companies who you granted permission to call you

Still receiving calls—RAT them out.…

If it has been more than 31 days since you signed up and you are still getting calls then report the offending company. The process is not complicated and will help the FTC to find and fine the violators. You may either go online to DONOTCALL.GOV or call 1-(888) 382-1222.

The Federal Trade Commission is one of the governmental agencies whose entire job is consumer protection. They serve as educators and enforcers. You would be amazed and would benefit greatly from studying their website and ordering some of the thousands of helpful booklets and pamphlets which they have to enlighten you about your rights and what recourse you have when they are violated.

That’s ftc.gov or call 1 (877) FC-HELP. 1 (877) 382-4357

Copyright © 2008, Home Ownership Matters, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

(Please E-mail Heather at homeownershipmatters@gmail.com with any questions, comments or concerns you might have! We appreciate all comments and feedback, so please don't be shy.)