Over the weekend I was watching on TV the Giants – Dodgers game, which was headed for an exciting finish in the 9^th. My telephone rang and absentmindedly I answered the call. It turned out to be a pesky telemarketer. I was surprised because I had already put my home and mobile phone numbers on FTC’s National Do Not Call Registry and the California state registry. So, I did a bit of research on what one can do to reduce these annoying calls.

To begin with remember it takes about 3 months for your do-not-call registration to take effect. And, then it is no guarantee that all telemarketing calls will get eliminated. This is because political organizations, charities, telephone surveyors and businesses with whom you have existing business relationships can continue to call you. They can call you if you inquired about their products or services during the last 3 months. Further, your registration with the Do Not Call Registry has to be renewed every 5 years. 

Also, hanging up on a telemarketing call is NEVER a good idea. They will call you back another day. So, I discovered that the best way to avoid telemarketing calls is by getting an unlisted number. It is even unlawful in some states to call unlisted numbers for sales purposes. Apparently, most telemarketers target numbers listed in the telephone directory. But, it costs extra money to get your number unlisted. So, what are my other options? 

There are telephone accessories available for playing pre-recorded messages instructing telemarketers to remove your number from their calling list. But, this again means spending money. The alternative is to answer the phone and ask the caller a series of questions (available at this link: http://www.junkbusters.com/script.html) about the nature of the call and directing the person to place you on their DO NOT CALL list.

If the caller disregards your instructions and continues to harass you even after you have made it clear you want your name and number removed from their calling lists, then you can pursue the matter legally. You can also lodge a complaint with the Do Not Call Registry at http://www.donotcall.gov. If you suspect any fraud in the calls, please report the matter to the Federal Trade Commission (at http://www.ftc.gov) and also alert local authorities. You can get more information at Direct Marketing Association’s consumer website (http://www.dmaconsumers.org).