Do Not Call for Cell Phones

[sammm]

<rude moderator moment>
Poor sammm... got caught by the FUD crowd and bought the urban legend...
</rude moderator moment>

JUST A REMINDER....31 days from August 9th, 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:
1-888-382-1222. 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.

Alternatively go to www.donotcall.gov and register the cell phone number.

[Dave04]

Thanks for the reminder.... my cell phone has been on the Do-Not-Call list from day #1...

[riverracer]

Thanks sammm.....

[Titus]

I hate to burst your bubble, but....

It's an urban legend.

From the FTC's website:

You may have received an email telling you that your cell phone is about to be assaulted by telemarketing calls as a result of a new cell phone number database; however, that is not the case. FCC regulations prohibit telemarketers from using automated dialers to call cell phone numbers. Automated dialers are standard in the industry, so most telemarketers don’t call consumers on their cell phones without their consent.

[riverracer]

I hate to burst your bubble, but....

It's an urban legend.

From the FTC's website:

[channelmaniac]

Whenever you get emails like that, it's a good idea to go search for some keywords at the Urban Legends Reference Pages.

Lest we point & make fun of you.

Besides, snopes.com is a GREAT site to read and learn about more urban legends.

RJ

[sammm]

If the 'Do Not Call' registry is valid, how can registering a phone number be a bad thing?

[POS Racing]

If the 'Do Not Call' registry is valid, how can registering a phone number be a bad thing?

Heck thee website showed my home number wasn't on the no call list even thought I had added it a while back. :ncool:

How would an autodialer tell a cell phone number from a land number?

[Titus]

If the 'Do Not Call' registry is valid, how can registering a phone number be a bad thing?

The thought once came to mind that Scamers could obtain the do-not-call list and actually use it as a call list. That said, I have entered my home and cell numbers on the list. The sites I have seen seem to think that it isn't necessary to include the cell number but it wouldn't hurt so why not.

[Dave04]

The thought once came to mind that Scamers could obtain the do-not-call list and actually use it as a call list. That said, I have entered my home and cell numbers on the list. The sites I have seen seem to think that it isn't necessary to include the cell number but it wouldn't hurt so why not.

This has actually been a concern of mine... The FTC makes the list available to anyone who wants it (or rather, to any registered telemarketing firm). So, there is the distinct possibility this could happen.

My solution is... I just don't answer my home phone unless I recognize the number on the caller ID...

[Jiggerachi]

Arent the telemarketing companies supposed to get fined big time for violating the do not call list?? Or was that just part of the hype?

[Titus]

Arent the telemarketing companies supposed to get fined big time for violating the do not call list?? Or was that just part of the hype?

Yes, but the concern is not with the legitmate telemarketers. Its the scamers that obtain the list fraudulently. They would be operating under conditions outside the law and therefore be much harder to track down.

[jolberry]