Remember that a donation doesn't have to be large to be significant. There are tens of thousands of FReepers. If everyone would donate just $1.00 a month, we would never have to have another of these FReepathons.
Are you doing your share?
Posted on 07/15/2003 5:27:10 PM PDT by NotJustAnotherPrettyFace
Scott Mulford of the Illinois Attorney General's press office knows that telemarketing complaints are near the top of consumer complaints that their office receives.
"It took some time, but an impetus was there from the aggravated public to take action," Mulford said.
The Federal Trade Commission created the national do-not-call registry in late June to give consumers a choice of whether they wish to receive calls from telemarketers, according to the registry's Web site, www.donotcall.gov. The registry opened a toll-free number nationally on July 7.
The purpose of the list is to limit the telemarketing calls a person can receive. It will still allow calls from political organizations, charities, telephone surveyors and businesses with which a person has a working relationship.
If a phone number is registered by Aug. 31, fewer telemarketers will call beginning Oct. 1. After Sept. 1, telemarketers have three months to receive numbers and take it off of their call list, according to the Web site. The registration lasts for five years and can include cell phone registration in addition to personal telephone numbers. Telemarketers that violate the registry could be fined up to $11,000 per call.
Kristal Slager, director of training and recruitment for Americall, said she believes the list will have some impact on their business, but that it will be a favorable one.
"We won't be paying for a call to people who don't want us to call them," Slager said.
There will be some adjustment to Americall's computer system, but overall there will be a better response in calling those people who are willing to take calls from telemarketing agencies, Slager said.
The News-Gazette's telemarketing department will still run the same , said Sheri Williamson, telemarketing supervisor.
The News-Gazette's department only calls people three or four times a year, Williamson said, unlike other telemarketing companies that sometimes call people up to six times a day. It is a better feeling not to consistently bother people and some customers appreciate the call to renew their newspaper subscription, she said.
"I definitely think this is going to be a good policy," Williamson said.
There are people who do not want to do business over the phone and now these people can deal with their business in a different manner, she said.
"I think this list is going to be great," said Salina Hattendorf, senior in business. "You always have a feeling of guilt when you hang up on telemarketers because you know they're people too, but now I won't have that."
Remember that a donation doesn't have to be large to be significant. There are tens of thousands of FReepers. If everyone would donate just $1.00 a month, we would never have to have another of these FReepathons.
Are you doing your share?
NATIONAL DO NOT EMAIL REGISTRY!
Then and only then will I be a happy camper!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.