How to Report Illegal Telemarketing and Robocalls in the U.S.
Register on the national Do Not Call registry., Wait 31 days., Familiarize yourself with what the Do Not Call registry does and does not cover., Record the date and time of inappropriate calls you receive., Report illegal telemarketing., Be vigilant...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Register on the national Do Not Call registry.
Follow the link and follow the instructions.
It is a quick, free process that should eliminate most telemarketing calls and DOES NOT EXPIRE. -
Step 2: Wait 31 days.
This is the grace period that organizations have to synchronize their lists with the Do Not Call registry.
Once you know you're on the Do Not Call registry, you shouldn't receive any more calls from telemarketers.
Companies are supposed to check the registry every 31 days and scrub registered numbers from their calling databases., The Do Not Call registry is for for-profit, interstate calls for the purpose of commercial marketing.
It does not cover calls from the following: volunteers from charitable organizations. political calls. companies with which you already do business.
For companies with which you already do business, you can ask them not to call you.
Keep a record of when you make the request. calls for the sole purpose of taking a survey.
Debt collectors may also continue to call, but beware of debt collection scams and zombie debt. , Record the phone number from which they were received, and any other caller ID information.
Also record why they were inappropriate.
Make a note of whether the call was a recording (robocall).
Review the FTC's website if you are uncertain who may and may not call you after you are registered., If non-exempt companies or organizations continue to call you after you have been in the Do Not Call registry for at least 31 days, you may file a complaint.
You can file a complaint with donotcall.gov, or with your state attorney general.Follow the link to the FTC's complaint form and follow the instructions to step through it. , There are other ways to seek justice if you find your complaint doesn't seem to result in anything and if you're of a determined mindset.
Amy Alkon has documented her experience in dealing with invasive telemarketers in her book I see rude people.
She says that action being taken against telemarketers is "unlikely"
given that out of almost three million complaints registered against telemarketers, the FTC and Justice Department had managed about 25 cases by the time of publication of her book in
2010.Her personal solution is invoicing the telemarketers for her time and energy, and even going to the small claims court.
If you have the time and persistence, and you have kept excellent records, you might want to consider her method.
She suggests that you: invoice them by letter or email, document their reason for calling you and asking for payment for your time.
She also blogs about telemarketing experiences, which is something you might like to consider if you're a blogger.
If you want to go so far as to sue a telemarketer yourself, check out sites such as DianaMey.com and KillTheCalls.com for helpful information on what to do and for other people's experiences.
Be aware that this route is not for the timid! -
Step 3: Familiarize yourself with what the Do Not Call registry does and does not cover.
-
Step 4: Record the date and time of inappropriate calls you receive.
-
Step 5: Report illegal telemarketing.
-
Step 6: Be vigilant and persistent.
Detailed Guide
Follow the link and follow the instructions.
It is a quick, free process that should eliminate most telemarketing calls and DOES NOT EXPIRE.
This is the grace period that organizations have to synchronize their lists with the Do Not Call registry.
Once you know you're on the Do Not Call registry, you shouldn't receive any more calls from telemarketers.
Companies are supposed to check the registry every 31 days and scrub registered numbers from their calling databases., The Do Not Call registry is for for-profit, interstate calls for the purpose of commercial marketing.
It does not cover calls from the following: volunteers from charitable organizations. political calls. companies with which you already do business.
For companies with which you already do business, you can ask them not to call you.
Keep a record of when you make the request. calls for the sole purpose of taking a survey.
Debt collectors may also continue to call, but beware of debt collection scams and zombie debt. , Record the phone number from which they were received, and any other caller ID information.
Also record why they were inappropriate.
Make a note of whether the call was a recording (robocall).
Review the FTC's website if you are uncertain who may and may not call you after you are registered., If non-exempt companies or organizations continue to call you after you have been in the Do Not Call registry for at least 31 days, you may file a complaint.
You can file a complaint with donotcall.gov, or with your state attorney general.Follow the link to the FTC's complaint form and follow the instructions to step through it. , There are other ways to seek justice if you find your complaint doesn't seem to result in anything and if you're of a determined mindset.
Amy Alkon has documented her experience in dealing with invasive telemarketers in her book I see rude people.
She says that action being taken against telemarketers is "unlikely"
given that out of almost three million complaints registered against telemarketers, the FTC and Justice Department had managed about 25 cases by the time of publication of her book in
2010.Her personal solution is invoicing the telemarketers for her time and energy, and even going to the small claims court.
If you have the time and persistence, and you have kept excellent records, you might want to consider her method.
She suggests that you: invoice them by letter or email, document their reason for calling you and asking for payment for your time.
She also blogs about telemarketing experiences, which is something you might like to consider if you're a blogger.
If you want to go so far as to sue a telemarketer yourself, check out sites such as DianaMey.com and KillTheCalls.com for helpful information on what to do and for other people's experiences.
Be aware that this route is not for the timid!
About the Author
Jason Collins
Experienced content creator specializing in lifestyle guides and tutorials.
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