National Do Not Call List

[LimitedRecourse]

REMEMBER: Cell Phone Numbers Go Public This Month.

REMINDER…all cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sales calls.

YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS

To prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone: [phone]. It is the National DO NOT Call list. It will only take a minute of your time. It blocks your number for five (5) years. You must call from the cell phone number you want to have blocked. You cannot call from a different phone number.
It takes about 20 seconds

[Justin Thyme]

www.snopes.com/politics/business/cell411.asp

[LimitedRecourse]

To clarify then: Many cell phone numbers do not need to register, but there are those that should (particularly if you use your cell number as your "home" number when filling out forms/applications). There is supposed to to be protection in the law to prevent telemarketers from calling cell phone numbers----as long as the telemarketers follow the law, you have nothing to worry about. However, if you DO register your cell phone number, the telemarketers have no excuse. There is no deadline. You only have to register a phone number ONCE....until the law is ammended.

[ScarlettP]

Thanks for posting the number. I just registered my home phone. Was never on it. Getting really sick and tired of the constant harassment from people trying to sell me stuff, give me 'free' trips, want me to complete a survey or beg for money that I don't have.

[pictureman]

Those who think telemarketing calls to cellular telephones is "about to start" are being a little naive.
I recently started working for a large local company with a large, very aggressive, telemarketing department. Their outbound calls are computer-driven, in that once a prefix is entered (in my case, 779- for Verizon numbers) the computer starts dialing...779-0000, 779-0001, 779-0002, etc. If no one answers, obviously caller ID records the number, and a few people actually call back wanting to know "who called them from this number".

Each day I compile a Do Not Call list to have these numbers removed from the "system", which apparently never works. I've fielded calls from 10-year-olds wondering why we called, college students complaining that we call in the middle of class (you have your phone on in the middle of class?), customers that we currently do business with, and many people who've relocated to points all over the globe, yet still keep their 423-prefix cell service, and so on.

My suggestion is, if you don't recognize the number, don't answer and/or don't return the call. There is no way that you will ever be able to prevent all unwanted calls from ringing your phone, so adapt to it.

In the one-in-a-multibillion chance that it's the lottery calling with your winning number, they'll leave a message.

[Police Moderator]

If I get a call, after hours, from a number I don't recognize, I let my 4 year old answer as I hand him a Mountain Dew and a Snickers Bar.

Consequently, I have found I don't need to register on the "Do Not Call" list as I am (Or my kid is) already on a "Do Not FREAKING Call EVER" list.

Technology.

[fftspam]

REMEMBER: Cell Phone Numbers Go Public This Month.

Will you site your source?

[Bob]

Jul 12, 2010 21:43:33 GMT -5 fftspam said:

Will you site your source?

ever try reading the thread??

[fftspam]

ever try reading the thread??

I did. Did you?

I asked for a "SOURCE"

No where in the thread is there a SOURCE.

[ScarlettP]

Jul 12, 2010 21:01:51 GMT -5 Police Moderator said:

If I get a call, after hours, from a number I don't recognize, I let my 4 year old answer as I hand him a Mountain Dew and a Snickers Bar.

WOOT! Can I borrow the child to answer my phone at work? I keep getting calls from some jack ass with a heavy Eastern Indian accent who CLAIMS to be from AT&T. He says he wants to "Update my listing" and confirms my name, address, phone number... then rattles off some legal-eze type mess that sounds like reading the disclaimer in small print so fast with such a heavy accent that I can't understand a word - except for something that sounded like "Dollars per Month". We keep telling him "NOT INTERESTED" and hanging up. He calls back. I tell him "I am not authorized to buy ANYTHING!" (Not really the truth, but whatever he's selling, I don't want it.) He calls back. We just hang up. Ring! Ring! Ring! The jack ass called at least 8 times in 3 days when I was answering the phone. Mom says he calls all the time. I think we should employ more drastic measures. My grandmother used to advocate keeping a whistle next to the phone and blowing it loudly into the receiver. I'm thinking the four year old on a sugar rush might be even better.

[Bob]

one thing that usually works but isn't really good for a business phone is to say "Please hold" and put the phone down.

[mrevents]

Unfortunately businesses ARE NOT exempt from telemarketing calls. Request they remove you from their solicitation list and mention that, if they continue to call, you will report them to the Tennessee Deprtment of Consumer Affairs. That usually works for me.

[ScarlettP]

Thank you for the suggestion. We'll try that.

[Police Moderator]

WOOT! Can I borrow the child to answer my phone at work?

I'm not sure the minute or two respite from telemarketers would be worth the amount of property destruction (Usually, "A ax'dent") and frayed nerves that could ensue. ;D

[Babs]

It's not too hard to do a four yr old's imitation. Kinda fun in fact. another ploy is to sound a little simple and ask " whatch wearin'?" The pause is wonderful!

[justme]

I have given my deaf daughter the phone and picked up the other extension. Highly amusing - especially since she understands what's happening.

[snarkalicious]

If you happen to know a Joseph and Deborah Matthews-apparently they had my office number before I got it 2 years ago and I still get multiple calls for them....including calls from businesses that accuse me of being them and lying

[LimitedRecourse]

"Will you site your source?"

E-mail from one of my more sane relatives.

[pictureman]

Doing my CSR thing today, got another couple dozen "call-backs" from our telemarketing efforts, about half of which were cellular telephone numbers...

"Wha'd th' he' you be callin' me fo?"
"Probably a call from our marketing department with an offer for..."
"Don' be callin' me, mo' fo', dis be my bid'niz phone..."

Oh, yeah, telemarketing sales calls have been being made to cell phones for quite a while now.

And, LimitedRecourse, I note that one doesn't get to your status in life by being naive. Please excuse the implication.

[ScarlettP]

My son's cell number was almost the same as the county lock up. He used to get a lot of rather odd 'wrong numbers' who absolutely would not believe they had it wrong.

AND - My brother's last no good, alcoholic, dead beat wife had the same first name as my mother. She didn't bother to change her last name after the divorce. Mom got a lot of 'Collection Calls' looking for our ex-in-law.

(BTW - Word to the wise. Do NOT pick up chicks at an AA meeting. Just saying.)

[JC]

"(BTW - Word to the wise. Do NOT pick up chicks at an AA meeting. Just saying.) "

That's right. It's always best to get them while they're still drunk

[professorx]

Jul 12, 2010 21:01:51 GMT -5 Police Moderator said:

If I get a call, after hours, from a number I don't recognize, I let my 4 year old answer as I hand him a Mountain Dew and a Snickers Bar.

Who stays up with the 4 year old hopped up on caffeine and sugar (and after hours) after the call is over?

[Jay]

I don't answer the phone if the number isn't on my caller id... I am on the National Do Not Call list though. I've been on it since it started.