How to Stop Telemarketing Calls When You're On a Do Not Call List
The National Do Not Call Registry was designed to stop telemarketing calls to home, business and cellular phone numbers. It is a free service. After you register, it can take up to a month to take effect, so during the first 30 days after registration you may still receive unwanted telemarketing calls. If it is past that time frame, you can file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. Violators can be fined up to $11,000. Many states, including New York and California, have their own do not call registries, but according to AARP, many of these states share their lists with the national registry so it is only necessary to register with one, not both.
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Things You'll Need
- Telemarketer's phone number
- Telemarketer's name
- Date of call
- Time of call
Instructions
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File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at donotcall.gov. You can also call the FTC at (888) 382-1222.
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Provide the company's name and phone number to the Federal Trade Commission. You will also be asked to provide the date and time of the phone call. The FTC will ask you if the call was a pre-recorded message, as these types of calls can also be prosecuted, so it's important to take note of this as well.
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Give your name and address to the Federal Trade Commission. According to AARP, this information is requested, but it is not required when filing a complaint.
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Tips & Warnings
The FTC says it can't resolve all Do Not Call complaints but will use the information provided to investigate companies, which may lead to legal action. The Do Not Call Improvement Act of 2007 went into effect in February 2008. This law states if you've registered a number on the National Do Not Call Registry, it will stay on that list permanently, meaning you do not need to register it again. According to AARP, more than 160 million phone numbers are on the registry.
You can register a phone number on the Do Not Call Registry online at donotcall.gov or by calling (800) 382-1222.
According to the FTC, telephone calls from political organizations, charities or companies doing telephone surveys are not considered telemarketing calls.
