The National Do Not Call Registry is a consumer protection law created
to help American consumers maintain their privacy and limit incoming
telemarketing calls. Signing up for the program is easy and your phone
number will remain on the list permanently unless you take direct
action to remove it. The Registry is a free service provided by the
U.S. government, and any telemarketers who violate the law may be
subject to hefty fines.
Although the National Do Not Call Registry has been in effect since
2004, many Americans are still a bit confused as to what it is and how
to utilize it. The registry was originally conceived as a law that
would help U.S. consumers limit the number of unwanted and often
annoying telemarketing calls they receive, but it has taken the public
a while to make use of the program and many people who could probably
benefit from it, still don’t use it today. The way the law works is
fairly straightforward, and all consumers need to do is simply call
the program and register by telephone. Although the Do-Not-Call law
does prevent direct phone solicitation from most types of
telemarketers, it does not cover the growing phenomenon of political
“robo-calls” that fall under a separate group of regulations.
Because it falls under the category of consumer protection, official
management of the National Do Not Call Registry is handled by the
Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Signing up for the Registry is super
easy and all consumers need to do is to call 1-888-382-1222 from the
phone number that they desire to register in the system, or they can
sign up online on the program’s website at donotcall.gov. Consumers
who register by telephone don’t need to take any further action,
however those people registering online will need a working email
address. After registering online, the Registry will send a response
to the email address with a link that must be clicked on within 72
hours in order to complete a new registration. As soon as your number
is registered, your phone number will show up on the registry list the
next day and the clock starts ticking for the telemarketers who have
just 31 days from the registration date to stop calling you
altogether.
The National Registry is supposed to be used for personal phone
numbers only and business phones and fax numbers will not be allowed
to register. Personal cell phone numbers are covered under the
Registry as well. Thanks to the passage of the Do-Not-Call Improvement
Act of 2007, your personal phone number will remain permanently active
on the Registry and will not expire unless you take direct action to
remove it. You can remove a phone number from the Registry by calling
1-888-382-1222 from the telephone number you want to delete. Other
factors can affect your Registry status though, and if your number is
disconnected for any reason, and then reconnected, you will have to
re-register it. Changes to the telephone plan you are on can also
sometimes affect your registry status, and if you have changing
calling plans or changing the name on the billing account, you may
have to register the number again.
Although the Do-Not-Call Registry will stop most calls that solicit
the sales of goods or services, it will not prevent calls from
political organizations, charities, and telephone surveys. It also
will not stop calls from companies that you already have an existing
business relationship with, or any business that you have given an
express agreement in writing that it is OK to receive their calls.
Third-party telemarketer calls are covered though, and if a
third-party telemarketer tries to get around the Registry by calling
on behalf of another prohibited party, that telemarketer could be
subject to a fine up to $11,000.
If your telephone number is on the Registry and you do receive an
unwanted call from a telemarketer, you can lodge a formal complaint by
contacting the registry’s website or by calling them directly at
1-888-382-1222. All that is required to file the complaint is the name
or telephone number of the company that called, and the date they
called you. There is really no reason to be receiving unwanted
telephone sale pitches these days when the Do-Not-Call Registry is a
free and simple service available to anyone with a personal phone
number.
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