How to Stop Calls from Telemarketers

Put a stop to intrusive phone calls.

When the telephone rings during dinner, most people are annoyed if the caller is someone trying to sell a product or service. To protect people from such intrusions, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) manages the National Do Not Call Registry. The registry is intended to allow consumers to choose whether or not they wish to receive calls from telemarketers. The FTC enforces the registry in conjunction with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and state officials.

Instructions

1. Sign up with the National Do Not Call Registry. Telemarketers aren't supposed to call any numbers listed on this registry. Allow 31 days after you sign up for the prohibition to take effect. If a telemarketer calls you after that time, file a complaint at the Do Not Call Registry website. You can also file a Do Not Call Registry complaint if you get a "robocall," which uses a recorded message instead of a human caller. Once you're registered, you don't have to renew your registration; it doesn't expire. If you move and get a new phone number, you'll have to register that number.

2. Register your home landline telephone number or your cell phone number at www.donotcall.gov. Enter up to three phone numbers and your email address; then click "Submit." You'll get a confirmation email message from [e-mail]. To confirm the registration, open the email message and click on the link. If you don't get the message within a few minutes, check your junk mail or spam filter box. You can also register by phone by calling 1-888-382-1222 from the phone number that you wish to list.

3. Ask callers to stop. Not all intrusive phone calls will be stopped when you register. You may still get calls from political organizations, surveyors, debt collectors and charities. You may also get calls from companies that you've done business with, or those that you've permitted in writing to call you. However, you can ask these companies to stop calling you, and they must do as requested.

4. Prohibit individual callers. Even if you don't want to sign up on the Do Not Call registry, you can ask individual callers to put you on their own "do not call" lists, and they must honor your request.

5. Report a violation. If you receive a call from a telemarketer even after your number has been registered for 31 days, remind the caller that you're on the registry. You can file a complaint on the File a Complaint page on the registry's website or by calling the toll-free number 1-888-382-1222. You'll need to provide the phone number that received the call; the date and hour of the call; and whether the call was a recorded message. Caller ID on your phone is helpful in identifying phone numbers and time of calls.

   You'll also be asked for the phone number and name of the company that made the call, if available; whether you've done business with the company in the last 18 months; and whether you'd asked the company to stop calling you. You can also submit your name and address (this information is not required) and write additional comments. Complaints go into the FTC's Consumer Sentinel system, an investigative tool, for possible action from law enforcement.

Tips & Warnings

• If you change your mind and want to remove your phone number from the registry, you may do so by calling 1-888-382-1222.

References

• National Do Not Call Registry: Home Page
• Federal Trade Commission: Do Not Call Registrations Permanent and Fees Telemarketers Pay to Access Registry Set; April 2008