Cell / Home Phone Number Privacy Laws

[probablecause]

As a fraud Detective in L.A. I am always looking to avoid telemarketers and annoying email, so here it is:
The "National Directory of Cell Phone Numbers" is about to be published. The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) gathers this information from all of the Cellular phone companies and publishes all the numbers in a nice, neat, intrusive directory for the telemarketers to use for "telemarketing" purposes.
However, in 2003, the "National Do Not Call Registry" was created due to privacy rights laws which would allow a person to have their phone numbers removed from the list, prior or after the list came out. There are two methods to removing your phone number:
Call the FTC National Do Not Call Registry # 888-382-1222 and follow the automated prompts.
If you are not comfortable with calling the number, it can be done via the web: National Do Not Call Registry (https://www.donotcall.gov/ ). You can also enter home phone numbers and email addresses here.
You can verify the above phone number and the legitimacy of the website by checking out their links or from the FTC's web page: FTC Business Alert (http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/dncbizalrt.htm). This is not the catch-all prevention but any little bit helps.
On a final note, remember to check your credit at least once a year for any unauthorized charges. Some other members here can attest to identity theft and the problems created by it.
Stay safe and be alert!
Brendan

[ratso]

Thanks... those fuggers waste way too much of my time. :burningm:

[VelocityDriver]

Urban Myth, here's the info from the FCC:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-258164A1.pdf
For Immediate Release: News Media Contact:
April 15, 2005 Rosemary Kimball at (202) 418-0511
e-mail: rosemary.kimball@fcc.gov
THE TRUTH ABOUT CELL PHONES
AND THE NATIONAL DO NOT CALL REGISTRY
If you’ve received an e-mail telling you that your cell phone is about to be assaulted by telemarketing calls as a result of a new cell phone number database, rest assured that this is not the case. Telemarketing to cell phone numbers has always been illegal in most cases and will continue to be so. In response to recent e-mail campaigns urging consumers to place their cell phone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry, the Federal Trade Commission and Federal Communications Commission issue this advisory to give consumers the facts.
One e-mail making the rounds says:
“JUST A REMINDER...In a few weeks, cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sale calls. YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS... To prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone: 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. PASS THIS ON TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS...”
Another version claims:
“The Federal Trade Commission has set up a "do not call" list. It is called a cell phone registry. To be included on the "do not call" list, you must call from the number you wish to register.”
Here’s what you need to know about the National Do Not Call Registry program:
• FCC regulations prohibit telemarketers from using automated dialers to call cell phone numbers. Automated dialers are standard in the industry, so most telemarketers are barred from calling consumers on their cell phones without their consent.
• The federal government does not maintain a national cell phone registry. Personal cell phone users have always been able to add their numbers to the National Do Not Call Registry — the same Registry consumers use to register their land lines — either online at www.donotcall.gov or by calling toll-free 1-888-382-1222 from the telephone number they wish to register. Registrations become effective within 31 days of signing up and are active for five years. There is no cut-off date or deadline for registrations.
• Business-to-business calls are not covered under the Registry.
For More Information
To learn more about the National Do Not Call Registry and the rules that enforce it, visit the FTC at www.ftc.gov or the FCC at www.fcc.gov . For more information about a planned “wireless 411” directory, visit http://www.qsent.com/wireless411/index.shtml.
- FCC -

[ssmike]

As a fraud Detective in L.A. I am always looking to avoid telemarketers and annoying email, so here it is:
Stay safe and be alert!
Brendan
Now that's kinda funny. B. That number you listed in bold is a scam, hoax, .....a fraud perhaps?
Sorry, I couldn't resist.

[HM]

For those of you that think the telemarketing companies are going to try to figure out how they can still call you legally after you have registered on the "do Not CAll" list, there is an industry statistic that you should be very excited about if you are on the "Do Not Call" registry:
The "Do Not Call" registry has ended up being one of the best things to ever happen to telemarketing. Their response rates have doubled and tripled since being forced into abiding by the list. Turns out, it is a complete waste of time, energy, and namely MONEY to call anyone on the "Do Not Call" list. They don't wan't to call you!!! If you are called by a telemarketer and you are on the "Do Not Call" list, it is really by accident....and they are allowed to make accidents if they can show they clean their lists every month. But, a few people can call you, but probably won't as this trend continues. Anyone you currently do or did business within the past 30 days. Not-for-profit can call anyone...but they are adopting the "Do Not Call" list as well.
The bad news is, if you are not on the "Do Not Call" list, you will be feverishly persued until you register on the list. This is why some of you may have noticed a surge of Telemarketing calls.
The best way to register is to go to www.donotcall.gov
Also, if you registered your number when it was 909 area code, and now it is 951 - you should register again.

[JackieV]

Thank you so much for this number. I have been telling my mother about it for some time now because I myself am registered on the Do Not Call List. I just could not figure out wher to find the info again. It was emailed to me in the first place.
But Thank you again!

[probablecause]

Now that's kinda funny. B. That number you listed in bold is a scam, hoax, .....a fraud perhaps?
Sorry, I couldn't resist.
Don't know how you figure that. It is right on the Federal Communications Comission's website (DO NOT CALL REGISTRY) (http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/donotcall/) and the information is the same.
Let me give some law quoters some information about this list. Certain of the major wireless companies -- AllTel, Cingular (AT&T Wireless), Nextel, Sprint PCS, and T-Mobile -- have banded together to produce a Wireless 411 service. Their goal is to pool their listings to create a comprehensive directory of cell phone customer names and phone numbers that would be made available to directory assistance providers.
It is true that you do not have to register you number(s) because this list is not going to reach the hands of the telemarketers (yeah, bears don't $hit in the woods!) Here is a quote from the Better Business Bureau of Silicon Valley:
"The industry will not publish numbers in a directory or sell the numbers to a third party. The Wireless 411 directory information is not supposed to be supplied to telemarketers. It is currently against federal law for telemarketers to use their “automated dialing system” to call wireless numbers without the customer’s permission. The best and most efficient way to eliminate telemarketers is to list a wireless number with the FTC’s Do-Not-Call registry."
Notice the words "not supposed to be supplied to telemarketers!" Well there it is folks. I guess I have nothing to worry about. So when this list "does" get out, I personally don't want my numbers on it. Below is the exact quote from the FCC's website.
"...Personal cell phone users have always been able to add their numbers to the National Do Not Call Registry — the same Registry consumers use to register their land lines — either online at www.donotcall.gov or by calling toll-free 1-888-382-1222 from the telephone number they wish to register. Registrations become effective within 31 days of signing up and are active for five years. There is no cut-off date or deadline for registrations."
The information is there, it is not a hoax or scam, read about it, the number is valid, the website is valid, and use it if you want. No gun pointed at anyone's head here. It is just one little tool that you can use. FYI - The list can and will get out.