Do Not Call list to expire

oldschool · 09-21-2007, 04:35 PM

This is the real deal not spam. I highlighted the phone number and website in red in the middle of the article for anyone who hasn't already done this.

Our tax dollars at work

By The Associated Press

Friday, September 21, 2007

The cherished dinner hour void of telemarketers could vanish next year for millions of people when phone numbers begin dropping off the national Do Not Call list.

The Federal Trade Commission, which oversees the list, says there is a simple fix. But some lawmakers think it is a hassle to expect people to re-register their phone numbers every five years.

Numbers placed on the registry, begun in June 2003, are valid for five years. For the millions of people who signed onto the list in its early days, their numbers will automatically drop off beginning next June if they do not enroll again.

"It is incredibly quick and easy to do," Lydia Parnes, director of the FTC's bureau of consumer protection, said in an interview with The Associated Press this week. "It was so easy for people to sign up in the first instance. It will be just as easy for them to re-up."

But Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Pa., says people should not be forced to re-register to keep telemarketers at bay. Doyle introduced legislation this week, with bipartisan support, to make registrations permanent.

"When someone takes the time and effort to say 'I don't want these kinds of calls coming into my house,' they shouldn't have to keep a calendar to find out when they have to re-up to keep this nuisance from happening," Doyle said in an interview.

The FTC built the five-year expiration date into the program to account for changes, such as people who move and switch their phone number, Parnes said.

Doyle, however, points out that the list is purged each month of numbers that have been disconnected and reassigned to new customers.
People can register their home and cell phone numbers or file complaints at http://www.donotcall.gov or by calling 1-888-382-1222.

The registry prohibits telemarketers from calling phone numbers on the list. Companies face fines of up to $11,000 for each violation.

Organizations engaged in charitable, political or survey work are exempt. Companies that have an established business relationship with a customer also may call for up to 18 months after the last purchase, payment or delivery.

In the first week of the program, people signed up 18 million numbers. The registry now has more than 149 million phone numbers.

"I think it's fantastic," said Bonnie Darling of Arlington, Va. Darling placed her name on the list this year after being flooded with calls from roofing companies, chimney sweeps and construction businesses. She has not heard from those companies in months.

Darling is not worried about the five-year expiration. She said she expects it to be just as easy to register as it was a couple months ago.

The FTC plans a consumer education program next spring on the re-registration process.

While polls have shown consumers reporting far fewer unwanted phone calls, some telemarketers continue to violate the law.

Since the registry began, the government has filed cases against more than 30 companies, resulting in $8.8 million in civil penalties and $8.6 million in redress to consumers and forfeitures.

Most of the penalties were paid by satellite television provider DirecTV Inc., as part of the largest settlement in the program's history.

DirecTV agreed to pay $5.3 million in December 2005 to settle charges that it and several telemarketing companies it hired had called numbers on the list. The company said then that it had stopped working with those telemarketers and taken steps to avoid calling numbers on the list.

Telemarketers are required to pay an annual subscription fee to access the FTC list so those numbers can be blocked from their dial-out programs. The companies also must update their own calling lists every 31 days to ensure there are no numbers from the registry on them.

The annual subscription fee for the list costs $62 for each area code, with a maximum cost of $17,050 for access to all U.S. numbers on the list.

The FTC reported this year that 6,824 companies and other entities paid $21.7 million in fees to access the database in fiscal year 2006. All told, 15,218 entities have paid $59 million in fees to access the database since the program's inception.

Most of the fees charged by the government are used to support the Do Not Call program.

pillage · 09-21-2007, 06:13 PM

I just renewed, so I'm good for another five years.

Aprox · 09-21-2007, 06:27 PM

Now they just need to make a similar service for banks, I get calls all the time from my bank trying to up sell me services. They are as bad as solicitors, they don't take no for an answer.

pillage · 09-21-2007, 07:55 PM

Prior to the do not call list, I used two year old phone screening. Two year olds love talking on the phone, and frustrate the hell out of telemarketer people. They would always hangup before my daughter. I wish I had taped those interesting conversations.

Al Ray · 09-21-2007, 08:08 PM

Theres one prank call on a telmarketer where this man( a radio host IIRC) pretends to be a police investigater on a murder case. Funny as all get out.

Talfuchre · 09-21-2007, 08:13 PM

THANK YOU. I love these types of things.

TF

Amoryl · 09-21-2007, 11:15 PM

permenent would be nice, but really, what the heck's so hard about renewing? how many people don't vote because they forgot there was a presidential election coming up? i mean, heck, it's been 4 years. since most people'll sign up around the same time anyway, every 5 years just run a string of "remember to renew your do not call list" besides theres a fair amount of people who move more often then that and would be renewing whenever they move so it'd be a non issue for the most part. and if they STILL managed to forget it'd only take a couple telemarketer calls to remind them. on the other hand i don't think i've ever met anyone who EVER says "ya know, i kinda miss being interrupted by telemarketers durring dinner...i think i'll just let it expire next time"

pillage · 09-22-2007, 02:51 PM

You can always reneiw early so you don't have to use the excuse, I forgot.

K_Obeastly · 09-23-2007, 01:28 AM

I must be the only one giving a woohoo to this. My current number is on the list and I really do miss getting those calls.

I had a lot of fun with these people. Probably my most offensive reply was...

marketer: hi, would you be willing to donate just $.70 a day to improve the life of a child in a foreign country?

me: well, what would my contribution provide for these children?

marketer: Your contribution would help provide a shelter to live in, food to eat and clean drinkable wa...

me interupting: would any of this money go towards sterilizing these children?

marketer: what?....

me: sterilizing these children... you know, so they can't have children. I don't want you calling back in 20 years asking my children for money to support the children of these children, lets nip this problem in the bud.

marketer: thank you for your time, click...

09-21-2007, 04:35 PM	#1 (permalink)
oldschool Moderating in Moderation Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: My own private Idaho	Do Not Call list to expire This is the real deal not spam. I highlighted the phone number and website in red in the middle of the article for anyone who hasn't already done this. Our tax dollars at work By The Associated Press Friday, September 21, 2007 The cherished dinner hour void of telemarketers could vanish next year for millions of people when phone numbers begin dropping off the national Do Not Call list. The Federal Trade Commission, which oversees the list, says there is a simple fix. But some lawmakers think it is a hassle to expect people to re-register their phone numbers every five years. Numbers placed on the registry, begun in June 2003, are valid for five years. For the millions of people who signed onto the list in its early days, their numbers will automatically drop off beginning next June if they do not enroll again. "It is incredibly quick and easy to do," Lydia Parnes, director of the FTC's bureau of consumer protection, said in an interview with The Associated Press this week. "It was so easy for people to sign up in the first instance. It will be just as easy for them to re-up." But Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Pa., says people should not be forced to re-register to keep telemarketers at bay. Doyle introduced legislation this week, with bipartisan support, to make registrations permanent. "When someone takes the time and effort to say 'I don't want these kinds of calls coming into my house,' they shouldn't have to keep a calendar to find out when they have to re-up to keep this nuisance from happening," Doyle said in an interview. The FTC built the five-year expiration date into the program to account for changes, such as people who move and switch their phone number, Parnes said. Doyle, however, points out that the list is purged each month of numbers that have been disconnected and reassigned to new customers. People can register their home and cell phone numbers or file complaints at http://www.donotcall.gov or by calling 1-888-382-1222. The registry prohibits telemarketers from calling phone numbers on the list. Companies face fines of up to $11,000 for each violation. Organizations engaged in charitable, political or survey work are exempt. Companies that have an established business relationship with a customer also may call for up to 18 months after the last purchase, payment or delivery. In the first week of the program, people signed up 18 million numbers. The registry now has more than 149 million phone numbers. "I think it's fantastic," said Bonnie Darling of Arlington, Va. Darling placed her name on the list this year after being flooded with calls from roofing companies, chimney sweeps and construction businesses. She has not heard from those companies in months. Darling is not worried about the five-year expiration. She said she expects it to be just as easy to register as it was a couple months ago. The FTC plans a consumer education program next spring on the re-registration process. While polls have shown consumers reporting far fewer unwanted phone calls, some telemarketers continue to violate the law. Since the registry began, the government has filed cases against more than 30 companies, resulting in $8.8 million in civil penalties and $8.6 million in redress to consumers and forfeitures. Most of the penalties were paid by satellite television provider DirecTV Inc., as part of the largest settlement in the program's history. DirecTV agreed to pay $5.3 million in December 2005 to settle charges that it and several telemarketing companies it hired had called numbers on the list. The company said then that it had stopped working with those telemarketers and taken steps to avoid calling numbers on the list. Telemarketers are required to pay an annual subscription fee to access the FTC list so those numbers can be blocked from their dial-out programs. The companies also must update their own calling lists every 31 days to ensure there are no numbers from the registry on them. The annual subscription fee for the list costs $62 for each area code, with a maximum cost of $17,050 for access to all U.S. numbers on the list. The FTC reported this year that 6,824 companies and other entities paid $21.7 million in fees to access the database in fiscal year 2006. All told, 15,218 entities have paid $59 million in fees to access the database since the program's inception. Most of the fees charged by the government are used to support the Do Not Call program. __________________ Its all peaches & sunshine baby, peaches & sunshine.. Obsequious, purple, and clairvoyant One of the two proud members left - D FLT Politically, Socially and Aerodynamically Incorrect Everything I have ever loved is immoral or illegal Vir sapit qui pauca loquitur. stewart potter common sense, elephant and duck tests Force this into a gaussian distributed parabolic curve!

09-21-2007, 06:13 PM	#2 (permalink)
pillage 6.5x50 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Yorktown, Virginia	I just renewed, so I'm good for another five years. __________________ If meat is murder, I'll have a beer with the murder please. My Feedback Thread[/SIZE][/SIZE]

09-21-2007, 06:27 PM	#3 (permalink)
Aprox Rec Poster Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: California	Now they just need to make a similar service for banks, I get calls all the time from my bank trying to up sell me services. They are as bad as solicitors, they don't take no for an answer. __________________ Aprox's Feedback

09-21-2007, 07:55 PM	#4 (permalink)
pillage 6.5x50 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Yorktown, Virginia	Prior to the do not call list, I used two year old phone screening. Two year olds love talking on the phone, and frustrate the hell out of telemarketer people. They would always hangup before my daughter. I wish I had taped those interesting conversations. __________________ If meat is murder, I'll have a beer with the murder please. My Feedback Thread[/SIZE][/SIZE]

09-21-2007, 08:13 PM	#6 (permalink)
Talfuchre Unharshed Mellow Join Date: May 2006	THANK YOU. I love these types of things. TF __________________ Pumpenstein - NSA National Champions TF's MCB Trust.

09-21-2007, 08:08 PM	#5 (permalink)
Al Ray GWC Lifetime Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Grand Junction, Colorado	Theres one prank call on a telmarketer where this man( a radio host IIRC) pretends to be a police investigater on a murder case. Funny as all get out.

09-21-2007, 11:15 PM	#7 (permalink)
Amoryl Post Whore Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: San Francisco	permenent would be nice, but really, what the heck's so hard about renewing? how many people don't vote because they forgot there was a presidential election coming up? i mean, heck, it's been 4 years. since most people'll sign up around the same time anyway, every 5 years just run a string of "remember to renew your do not call list" besides theres a fair amount of people who move more often then that and would be renewing whenever they move so it'd be a non issue for the most part. and if they STILL managed to forget it'd only take a couple telemarketer calls to remind them. on the other hand i don't think i've ever met anyone who EVER says "ya know, i kinda miss being interrupted by telemarketers durring dinner...i think i'll just let it expire next time" __________________ Amoryl's Feedback Sometimes I Draw Stuff

09-22-2007, 02:51 PM	#8 (permalink)
pillage 6.5x50 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Yorktown, Virginia	You can always reneiw early so you don't have to use the excuse, I forgot. __________________ If meat is murder, I'll have a beer with the murder please. My Feedback Thread[/SIZE][/SIZE]

09-23-2007, 01:28 AM	#9 (permalink)
K_Obeastly Post Whore Join Date: Jul 2006	I must be the only one giving a woohoo to this. My current number is on the list and I really do miss getting those calls. I had a lot of fun with these people. Probably my most offensive reply was... marketer: hi, would you be willing to donate just $.70 a day to improve the life of a child in a foreign country? me: well, what would my contribution provide for these children? marketer: Your contribution would help provide a shelter to live in, food to eat and clean drinkable wa... me interupting: would any of this money go towards sterilizing these children? marketer: what?.... me: sterilizing these children... you know, so they can't have children. I don't want you calling back in 20 years asking my children for money to support the children of these children, lets nip this problem in the bud. marketer: thank you for your time, click... __________________ I b da fat one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oERRPtEf8EM If loud pipes save lives imagine what bright pink helmets could do.