SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Today's Why Guy question from Mary Lussier on Facebook...and anyone who's still getting robocalls in 2019.
Lussier asked, "why isn't the 'Do Not Call' list working?"
The “National Do Not Call” list started in 2003 after many complaints about solicitation calls always seeming coming at dinner time. I checked the website for my own history, to make sure I’m on it, and I found I did register on July 27th, 2003, just one month after the program began.
It says most telemarketers will be required to stop calling you 31 days from your registration date. But, that doesn't seem to stop annoying phone calls coming at all times of day. and night. Why? Because the "National Do Not Call" list only prohibits sales calls!
What calls still get through? Political calls, charitable calls, debt collection, telephone surveys and informational calls...whatever those are.
The Federal Trade Commission [FTC] has seen an increase in illegal calls since 2009. Technology has made it tough to stop scammers, especially when many calls come from overseas.
So, what can you do? Block each call after it comes in, report the illegal sales calls and make sure your phone number is on the blocked list. If you can’t access the website, call 888-382-1222 to register your phone number.
If a company still makes a sales call to you and if you're registered on the do not call list and if you file a complaint and if the caller gets caught, the fine could be as high as $41,000. That's a lot of ifs... and that's why these unwanted calls keep coming.
Have a question for the Why Guy? Continue the conversation with Walt on Facebook.
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