'DO NOT CALL' vs. the Tooth Fairy
Published October 09, 2003
As of Tuesday, the national Do Not Call Registry is in full effect but the calls aren't going to stop.
1. Political organizations, charities and telephone poll takers are exempt.
2. If you create a business relationship with a company (place an order) they can call for up to 18 months.
3. If you ask a company for information, they can call for up to three months.
4. Some sweepstakes, rebates and give-aways now require you to sign away your do-not-call rights to enter.
What to do:
A. Don't go for any offers with waivers (check the fine print).
B. Don't give out your phone number unless you can be put on the company's DNC list.
C. When telemarketers call ask them to put you on their internal do-not-call list - even the exempt entities are required to honor your request.
If they do call again anyhow:
* Get the name of the company and/or the caller's phone number.Telemarketers are aware that they can be fined up to $11,000 for each call that violates the new DNC rules so you may have to play along with the caller until you get the information.
* Call the FTC at (888) 382-1222 or go to http://donotcall.gov.
* Provide the calling company's name or the number you were called from.
The FTC appears to be serious about enforcement so it's worth the effort.
- 'DO NOT CALL' vs. the Tooth Fairy
- Published: October 09, 2003
- Type:
- Section: Culture
- Writer: Hal Pawluk
- Hal Pawluk's BC Writer page
- Hal Pawluk's personal site
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Another thing you can do - ask the telemarketer for his/her home phone number. Say you'd like to discuss it in greater detail, but just don't have time right now. Tell them you'll call back when it's convenient for you, like, when you get up to go to work at 2:00 a.m.
The telemarketer will of course say "But, I don't want to talk about this at home."
To which you reply "Then what makes you think I want to talk about it at my home? Put me on your DNC list, you jerk!"
Feel free to sprinkle your statements to the telemarketer with obscenities, questions about his/her heredity, and insults about what he/she does for a living.