Do not call list info...

[kirkbyky]

I didn't realize I'd posted the other post on the HL board:eek: , so I'll include some info here.

Phone registration for the eastern half of the United States, including Michigan, begins July 7, by calling 888-382-1222. Those west of the Mississippi River, can begin calling today.

The link is:

www.donotcall.gov

Kyle

[Shirley Panek]

I was just about to post this as well! Great minds, huh? ;) :D

Here's another link to other helpful services Government Guide: Stop telemarketers (http://www.governmentguide.com/consumer_services/stoptelemarketers.adp)

[Molli526]

Thanks Kyle!

[Molli526]

I went to the link, and I was able to submit my information now.

[scout1222]

Just a word of warning, the site is slow.

I was getting errors, but finally got in. However, I'm in the "verify your information" step, and it's taking forever to process. I've probably been at this for about 30 minutes. I considered just holding off for a few days until the novelty wears off, but managed to get lucky and the page loaded.

[stefania4]

FYI, I believe this only stops people from calling to sell you things. "Vote for this candidate" calls and "Give to our charity" calls are still permissible, even for those on the DNC list.

[badunnin]

I'll take anything I can get at this point. Especially window/siding places and credit card companies. Oh, and refinance companies.

[AndreaU]

Originally posted by stefania4
FYI, I believe this only stops people from calling to sell you things. "Vote for this candidate" calls and "Give to our charity" calls are still permissible, even for those on the DNC list.

At least in NY, this is the case. The list also does not eliminate companies with whom you've previously done business (i.e. if you had a Citibank Visa, say, they could conceivably call you). We've been on NY's DNC list for quite a while and- WOW!- what a difference. We got one call that I can remember in the last year or so... from a guy who cleaned the chimney of the previous owner.

[lhall]

Looks like I'll have to wait until July 7th to register. I checked the local paper and the law regarding GA's no call list prohibits sharing that information so it's not going to be done for me.

Leigh

[lisas3575]

Has anyone gotten their confirmation e-mail yet? It's been about 3 hours and I haven't received it. I thought it would be automated and arrive pretty quickly...

[lisas3575]

370,000 Sign Up for Anti-Telemarketing List
By Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - One thousand people per second signed up Friday to get on a free "do not call" list that will prevent telemarketers from bothering them at home, swamping telephone lines and a Web site set up to handle demand.

Eager Americans rushed to place their home phone numbers on the Federal Trade Commission's list shortly after President Bush (news - web sites) launched the measure in a White House ceremony.

By noon the list had grown to 370,000 and was increasing by 1,000 per second, the FTC said.

The do-not-call list should help Americans enjoy their private time without unwanted interruptions, Bush said a few hours after the list was opened up for registration.

"When Americans are sitting down to dinner or a parent is reading to his or her child, the last thing they need is a call from a stranger with a sales pitch," Bush said in a White House Rose Garden ceremony.

Telemarketers who call numbers on the list after Oct. 1 will face penalties of up to $11,000 per call, as well as possible consumer lawsuits.

Consumers can sign up for the list by logging on to (http://donotcall.gov), while those living west of the Mississippi river can also register by calling 1-888-382-1222.

Consumers will not have to pay to get on the list, as it will be funded by telemarketers.

Plunging long-distance rates and computerized dialers have led to a five-fold increase in telemarketing calls over the past decade, prompting a deluge of consumer complaints.

The FTC announced plans for the list last year, and Congress approved it shortly afterward. The list will also include mobile phone numbers.

Do-not-call lists have proven popular in the roughly 25 states that have set them up. In Minnesota, for example, roughly half of the state's 2.2 million residential lines have subscribed.

FTC officials ultimately expect 60 million households to sign up for the national list, prompting the agency to delay telephone-based registration until July 7 for those living east of the Mississippi in an effort to handle demand.

Individuals across the country said they had trouble getting on to the Web site Friday morning, or were kicked off once they started the registration process.

FTC spokeswoman Cathy MacFarlane said consumers don't need to rush as they have all summer to sign up, and will not see a drop-off in telemarketing calls until Oct. 1.

Consumers will also be able to sign up for the list after the summer.

The list does not cover all callers. Nonprofit and political callers will be free to ignore it, but will have to honor consumer requests not to be called back. Businesses will be free to call customers for 18 months after making a sale, but they too will have to honor opt-out requests.

Telemarketing groups have sued to scratch the effort, arguing that it abridges free-speech rights, and say it could decimate an industry that employs 2 million.

Privacy advocate Jason Catlett, who has pushed for a national list for years, said he has little sympathy for their plight.

"Free speech doesn't give you the right to pester people in their homes when they don't want to be pestered," said Catlett, president of Junkbusters Corp., which helps clients avoid unwanted commercial pitches.

[Ralph]

Originally posted by lisas3575
Has anyone gotten their confirmation e-mail yet? It's been about 3 hours and I haven't received it. I thought it would be automated and arrive pretty quickly...

NO! Hopefully it's because they're so busy. I signed up from work about 7:30 this morning Central time & still no confirmation.

I DID hear the Illinois Attorney General on the radio say that since the list doesn't truly take effect until October, you've got plenty of time.

[Molli526]

Originally posted by lisas3575
Has anyone gotten their confirmation e-mail yet? It's been about 3 hours and I haven't received it. I thought it would be automated and arrive pretty quickly...

I haven't gotten mine yet, but I think that's b/c of the 1000 people per second.

[badunnin]

I received both of mine in the last half hour (about 12 hours after I started registration). Done and done!

[kwormann]

I just signed up and got the emails immediately after:D

[badunnin]

LOL! I have 8 emails from them now! Apparently every time I clicked remove, it went through, even though it gave me an error!

[Ralph]

Originally posted by badunnin
LOL! I have 8 emails from them now! Apparently every time I clicked remove, it went through, even though it gave me an error!

LOL is right! I got mine, too; came about 11:30 last night.

[vbak]

I signed up today , and I received the e-mail within the hour.

Vicky

[AD]

I just noticed that it also exempts long-distance phone companies. Those are the ONLY telemarketing calls I get. I cannot understand why they are exempt. :confused:

[Shirley Panek]

Originally posted by badunnin
LOL! I have 8 emails from them now! Apparently every time I clicked remove, it went through, even though it gave me an error!

So if the DNC list is good for 5 years does that mean you'll be good to go for 40 years (8x5), or is that just wishful thinking? ;) :D

BTW - I had the same problem. The first time it said to try again later, and the second time it went through with no problem. I was trying to figure out why I got 2 e-mails from them, and then realized they must have gotten the first attempt.

[Laura B]

AD, I was reading somewhere on the donotcall.gov site about the exempt companies. I don't know why long-distance companies are exempt, however, the site mentioned that many of the phone companies use telemarketing firms for their calls. The telemarketing firms are NOT exempt, no matter what they are pushing. So, hopefully most of the calls you get will stop anyway.

[Laura B]

I signed up last night and haven't gotten an email yet. I wonder if I need to try again?

[Betty Spaghetty]

:) Beings you get a confirmation number assigned on the internet, I
guess it is better to go to the internet. Called mine and my Mother's
in. I might go to the internet, just to get the confirmation number to be sure. Makes you wonder if they are using telemarketers to send these confirmation numbers. Hehe

[DebMG]

Thanks for posting the website. I registered just now and got an immediate email response.

Now - if they could just do the same for junk email!

[Betty Spaghetty]

:) AND Computers, hate the junk mail, why when they know it will not
be read and it will be deleted, do they continue to send it. It goes out of the computer as fast as it comes in. Some things that are open, when you click on them to remove them, arent' even message, but a garble of letters, no words, but just a mixture of letters, What's
that????

[SandyM]

If you were unable to get through on Friday (like me :) ) - try it now. It was all instantaneous, I got the e-mail immediately, and I'm all signed up.