Our phones are precious to us, and the last thing anyone wants is to be bombarded by incoming calls from foreign numbers. For a long while, telemarketers, debt collectors, and scammers alike had the freedom to contact you whenever and however times they saw fit. There weren’t any relief options for those who dreaded the endless contact attempts until 2004 when the Do Not Call Registry came to be. Its purpose is to substantially decrease the number of unwanted calls, but there is still plenty that people do not know about it.
Those who wish to add their cellphone or landline to the Do Not Call Registry must simply visit https://www.donotcall.gov/ and input their phone number. There’s a short verification process that follows. Once completed, you’ll remain on the list until you choose to remove your number. You can also enroll by dialing 1-888-382-1222 from the phone you would like added to the list.
Many people receive phone calls after enrolling from an individual claiming to be an employee of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or Do Not Call Registry. They inform you that your number wasn’t added to the list and proceed to request basic information. Hang up! These calls are scams. After you’ve verified your phone number at the end of the enrollment process, there is no further action required on your behalf.
While being listed on the registry does restrict certain entities from contacting you, there are a handful of others that can still legally reach out to you. Survey issuers, political organizations, charities, and institutions you’ve made purchases from or made a payment to in the last 18 months can still call you. If you would rather not receive such calls, merely request to be removed from their call list. They must honor your request although they’ll attempt to convince you otherwise.
‘Do Not Call’ regulations and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) prohibit robocalls; however, the FTC permits political and informational robocalls like those from health care providers and schools.
Many misconceptions remain about cell phones and the Do Not Call Registry. Rumors often spread that the FTC will make personal numbers public and that individuals should sign up as soon as possible. There is also a common belief that people on the list must re-register their number every so often. These claims are false as the FTC has no intentions of releasing phone numbers and the re-registration requirement was one for landlines and was discontinued in 2007.
Cellphone users technically do not need to sign up for the Do Not Call Registry as there are laws in place that make unsolicited telemarketing and robocalls illegal. Signing up can be to your benefit, though, if rules regarding such calls were to change.
Even with laws and registries in place, people continue to receive unwanted calls daily. Those who wish to put an end to those calls and get paid should speak with a Florida TCPA attorney with The Law Offices of Jibrael S. Hindi. We can make you aware of your rights regarding such intrusive calls and pursue the necessary course of action to get you the compensation you’re entitled to by law. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.