How to Reduce Unwanted Junk Mail and Telephone Solicitations
How to reduce the number of junk phone calls you get
The National Do Not Call Registry is open for business, putting
consumers in charge of the telemarketing calls they get at home. The Federal
government created the national registry to make it easier and more efficient
for you to stop getting telemarketing calls you don¡¯t want. You can register
online at WWW.DONOTCALL.GOV or call
toll-free, 1-888-382-1222 (TTY 1-866-290-4236), from the number you wish to
register. Registration is free.
The Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Communications Commission,
and the states are enforcing the National
Do Not Call Registry. Placing your number on the registry will stop most,
but not all, telemarketing calls.
What if you are still getting telemarketing calls you don't want?
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.
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 at DONOTCALL.GOV (click on ¡°Verify
A Registration¡±), or by calling 1-888-382-1222 (TTY 1-866-290-4236) from the
phone number you wish to verify. Follow the prompts.
- You also can add your number to the registry using the same Web site or
phone number (call from the number you want to register). If you register
online, you will receive an email from donotcall.gov as part of the confirmation
process. You will need to click on the link in this email within 72 hours
after you receive it. If you don¡¯t click on the link in the email, the number
you tried to register will not be added to the registry, and telemarketers
may continue to call.
- Understand that some calls are not covered. Once your number has been on
the registry for 31 days, 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 have 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. Visit DONOTCALL.GOV 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.
How to reduce the number of junk
mail in your mailbox
- Tell the Direct Marketing
Association you don't want unsolicited mail from their member companies by
sending your name, address and telephone number, including area code, to:
Mail
Preference Service
Direct Marketing Association
P.O. BOX 9008
Farmingdale, NY 11735-9008
- When dealing with a company
or charity that knows your address, tell them ``Don't rent or share my name.''
- Tell companies that sell
mailing lists not to include your name.
More ways to "Opt-Out":
- Credit Bureaus
The credit bureaus offer a toll-free number that enables you to "opt-out"
of having pre-approved credit offers sent to you for two years. Call 1-888-5-OPTOUT
(567-8688) for more information.
- Direct Marketers (see above for mailing address)
The Direct Marketing Association offers the Mail and Telephone Preference
Services, which allow you to reduce the amount of direct mail marketing and
telemarketing you receive from many national companies for five years.
When you register with these services, your name will be put on a "delete"
file that is updated four times a year-in January, April, July and October-and
made available to direct-mail and telephone marketers. Two to three months
after your name is entered into the quarterly file, you should notice a decrease
in the number of solicitations you receive. However, your registration will
not stop mailings or calls from organizations not registered with the DMA's
Mail and Telephone Preference Services.
In addition, the DMA recently launched a new EMail Preference Service to help
you reduce unsolicited commercial emails. To "opt-out" of receiving
unsolicited commercial email, use the Direct Marketing Association's online
form at www.e-mps.org.
Your online request will remain effective for one year.
- Department of Motor Vehicles
The Drivers Privacy Protection Act allows states to distribute personal information
only to law enforcement officials, courts, government agencies, private investigators,
insurance underwriters and similar businesses-but not for direct marketing
and other uses.
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