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How to Sign Up Online for the National "Do Not Call" List
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has just launched a new system making it possible for individuals to stop unsolicited commercial telephone calls. The FTC is creating a nation-wide "Do-Not-Call" registry. Sign up on the list, and the telemarketers cannot call you at home.
Registration is now available online at http://www.donotcall.gov.
WARNING: Some unscrupulous companies have been offering to sign up individuals for the Do Not Call list for a fee. Please be aware that the FTC registry is a government-run service free to the public. No fee is required for this simple do-it-yourself service.
Here's how it works: Telemarketers will have to check the Do Not Call list every 90 days and stop calling those who have signed up. Companies that do not comply face fines of up to $11,000 per violation.
The "Do Not Call" list will become active in September 2003; consumers can expect to notice fewer calls starting in October 2003. Consumers who register will remain on the list for 5 years, at which time they have to renew their registration. Consumers may remove themselves from the list at any time. Those consumers whose telephone number changes will also need to re-register.
Participation in the Do-Not-Call list will not eliminate all marketing calls. Consumers may still be contacted by companies with whom they have established a business relationship and companies they have affirmatively asked to hear from. Charities and political groups are exempt. So are long-distance phone companies, insurance companies that operate under state regulations, and airlines -- they are outside the jurisdiction of the FTC and are therefore not required to honor the list.
We encourage those of you who want fewer telemarketing calls to sign up for the FTC "Do Not Call" registry, and to tell your friends and family about this new way to exercise consumer choice. The new "Do Not Call " registry will benefit consumers and businesses. Consumers will receive fewer invasive marketing calls to their homes. Businesses will reduce their costs by limiting their calls to consumers who wish to receive them.
For more specific information and answers to your questions, visit the following web sites:
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