Still Do Not Call

Posted by Mike Smith :: September 11, 2007 @ 6:38 am

With the possible exception of opting out of pre-screened credit card offers, nothing has done so much for consumers wishing to avoid unwanted solicitations as the National Do Not Call Registry. As a recent Newsweek article notes, the first people to sign up may need to act soon to continue their protection.

The National Do Not Call Registry began taking registrations in June of 2003. By registering, consumers are able to avoid unsolicited telemarketing calls. While charities, political organizations, and companies that you’ve conducted business with are still allowed to call you, the remainder of unsolicited calls should stop within about a month of registration.

The reason that certain participants may need to take action soon is that registrations only last for five years. So many people who registered at the inception of the service will need to re-register by June of next year. Some states maintain their own Do Not Call lists, but the National Do Not Call Registry should supersede state lists.

Some state lists were started even earlier than the national list, the five-year registration period for those states is soon coming to an end. Tim Searcy, CEO of the American Teleservices Association, said in the Newsweek article referenced above that his organization would try to contact people who are no longer on the Do Not Call lists. Consumers are encouraged to renew their registrations before they expire.

We here at Lending Club urge you to beware of people offering to register your number for you, particularly if they charge you to do so. Registering your number is free, and easy to do. The website to register, or re-register, your phone number is the National Do Not Call Registry. Once there, you can register up to three phone numbers at a time. If you have more than three phone numbers, you can simply fill out the form multiple times. The website also contains an FAQ with lots of useful information.