Cell Phone Do Not Call list

[XtienMurawski]

I don't know enough about looking at web sites and source code and whatnot to know if this type of thing is legit or not. I'm guessing since it has a dot-gov address it is, plus it seems to be a secured site, but I don't want to be giving my numbers out to some goofball spoof site. My wife received this as possible spam and I wanted to check it out. She's a bit annoyed with me that I didn't sign us up for the original "do not call" list, so I don't want to eff this one up.

So, is this legit? Thoughts?

https://www.donotcall.gov/register/Reg.aspx

Thanks.

"When would be a good time to call back, sir?"

-Amanpour

[nutsak]

I'd say it's legit. I'm pretty sure not just any person can register a .gov site and point it to their own scammy site.

( Really shit site design though.. it hurts my eyes )

[Aleck]

I'm pretty sure it's legit -- it's linked from the FTC home page (www.ftc.gov).

Lovely site design. *sigh*

[Guido Jones]

This is legit - it was instituted by the law that all the telemarketing companies tried to get the USSC to overturn.

One note on this list: it puts you on a DNC for businesses - non-profits are exempt from the law and can use the list to harvest data.

[Lake]

I thought it was already illegal for telemarketers to call cell phones?

[chet]

Can you please point to any documentation on the idea that non-profits can harvest from the list? They do not have to use the list, but I have never heard they can and are able to harvest info from the list.

Also, any phone can be signed up - cell, home, business. I filed my business line and it now does not get the 50 million calls a day it used to. A phone number is a phone number.

Chet

[shift6]

Whenever I get a telemarketing call on my cell phone (so far only twice), even from a company with whom I do business, I first politely refuse the product, then I say "by the way, can you please add a notation on my account that since this is a cellular phone you may be in violation of state and federal law for using my airtime with an unsolicited call? Thanks."

No callbacks yet.

[Squirrel Killer]

http://www.donotcall.gov/ is completely legit. It is the official web site for the FTC's Do Not Call Registry. I encourage everyone to sign up for it. Note that your state may have it's own seperate DNC list, if so, sign up for both, check your state's Attorney General's web site. But, while it is illegal to use the FTC DNC list to harvest numbers, I'd be shocked if no one ever had. In fact, I think there's a urban myth going around telemarketing asswipes that the DNC list is a great list to use because those people get so many fewer sleezy pitches. At least the $10k fine keeps most of them honest enough. Unfortunately, the fine goes to the FTC, not the complaintant (that's a wealth distribution plan I could get behind).

[fire]

I got text message spam on my cellphone yesterday. I'm pretty sure that's illegal.

It seems it came from my provider (Verizon) telling me about the h0t deal of signing up for unlimited text messaging by replying to this text message.

Think I should complain to Verizon directly, or some Higher Power?

[Squirrel Killer]

I got text message spam on my cellphone yesterday. I'm pretty sure that's illegal.

It seems it came from my provider (Verizon) telling me about the h0t deal of signing up for unlimited text messaging by replying to this text message.

Think I should complain to Verizon directly, or some Higher Power?

I'm not as up to speed on text messaging laws as I am on unsolicitated phone calls, but given the text message came from your provider, I'd be surprised if it was illegal. Existing business relationship and all. Still, I'd complain to Verizon if for no other reason than to vent.

[Nick Walter]

I got text message spam on my cellphone yesterday. I'm pretty sure that's illegal.

It seems it came from my provider (Verizon) telling me about the h0t deal of signing up for unlimited text messaging by replying to this text message.

Think I should complain to Verizon directly, or some Higher Power?

What they did was AOK as long as they didn't charge you for receiving the messages.

America is a paradise compared to Europe in terms of the amount of crap SMS messages that come to your phone. In the UK an O2 phone will text you your balance if you so much as look at it funny!

[Nathan Phoenix]

I'd also check your user agreement with Verizon. You may have given them the right to text you when you signed up.