Here is a simple guide to help you sign up on the United States National Do-Not-Call list to block telemarketers from calling you! The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) launched the National Do Not Call Registry to give Americans a choice about getting telemarketing calls at home. According to a recent Harris Interactive poll,92 percent of people who reported placing a number on the registry said they are receiving fewer calls; a total of 78 percent said they're getting "far fewer calls" or none at all.
Here's how to sign up: Click here to register your number! (If a website certificate appears, just click "accept this certificate") You will be asked to follow the registration steps below. Click here for more detailed registration instructions. Enter up to three phone numbers and your email address. (this may include cell phones now!) Click Submit. Check for errors. Click Register. Check your email for a message from "Register@donotcall.gov". Open the email and click on the link to complete your registration If you he ALREADY signed up:If you think you put your number on the National Do Not Call Registry and you're still getting telemarketing sales calls, the Federal Trade Commission recommends that you:
Check to see that your number is on the registry. You can verify that your number is on the registry two ways: online (click here to go to the government do not call verification page), or by calling 1-888-382-1222 (TTY 1-866-290-4236) from the phone number you wish to verify. Follow the prompts. What to do when doesn't the system work: Understand that some calls are not covered. Once your number has been on the registry for three months, most telemarketing calls will stop. However, you still may get: calls from - or on behalf of - political organizations, charities, and telephone surveyors; calls from companies with whom you he an existing business relationship. A company may call you for 18 months after you make a purchase or three months after you submit an inquiry or application; calls from companies you've given permission to call. File a complaint. If your number has been on the registry for at least 31 days, and a telemarketer calls, complain to the FTC. Click here to FILE A COMPLAINT - Do not call List or call 1-888-382-1222 (TTY1-866-290-4236). You'll need to provide the date of the call and the phone number or name of the company that called you. Your number must he been on the registry for at least three months Reminder: Even if your number is registered, companies with which you do business may continue to call you. So may charities, political organizations, and telephone surveyors. Click Here for more information about the companies that may continue to call the numbers on the registry. See this page for How to File a Complaint Against Telemarketers and Robocalls and how to rReport them and possibly collect a reward More questions?See this list of frequently asked questions, direct from the FTC.
The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and oid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit www.ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database ailable to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.
And please let us know about any suspicious calls or emails you receive. We look for patterns so that we can alert the authorities and victims to new scams, before it is too late!
For a comprehensive list of national and international agencies to report scams, see this page.