Wednesday, December 12, 2007
When Do Not Call Means Forever
Remember that nifty "Do Not Call" list you registered for some time ago with tens of millions of your best friends? We're betting you didn't know that there was a time limit involved.
It's true. The original program was only designed as a short-run measure. Now the House of Representatives wants to make it permanent and has overwhelmingly voted to make the status permanent and continue funding operations from telemarketing firms. These are both good measures that are long overdue.
But don't forget that certain calls are exempt. They include calls from businesses with which you have established or continued a relationship, charities, and our favorite, political calls. The CCD, a non-profit group in Washington, is continuing its efforts to compile a do not call list that would be voluntary for politicians. As the 2008 presidential elections come up next year, we can't think of any smarter move you can make since registration is free. Visit StopPoliticalCalls.org to
add your name to the political do not call list.
Labels: do not call, FTC, stop political calls
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
FTC Nails Big Companies On Do Not Call Violations: Craftmatic, ADT and Ameriquest Among Targets
The sound of consumer clapping can be heard since their telephones may be ringing less often today.
The FTC has announced settlements with huge companies -- massive ones, really -- that are among the agency's largest ever.
Want to win a Craftmatic bed? Sure, they look cool, but if you filled out a sweepstakes entry form, the feds say that Craftmatic called and called. The FTC's statement also says that Craftmatic's predictive (automatic) dialer did not connect outbound calls to one of their sales reps in 2 seconds resulting in "millions" of abandoned calls. That is not only awful customer service, but hideously expensive service as well.
Worst of all those alleged violations in our eyes? When consumers (not customers -- consumers who filled out a simple sweepstakes entry) asked to be put on the company's do not call list, their requests were
ignored. That is inexcusable in our books and perhaps one of the main reasons why
Craftmatic settled the claims with a penalty exceeding $4 million.
The other companies did not fare well either. ADT's alarm services group and two of its dealers ignored the do not call registry and are out $2 million. Financial product company Ameriquest was also charged with ignoring the do not call registry among other violations.
Remember, you need to log calls when you tell a company to add you to their do not call registry. Log their name, their number and the time and date. That level of detail is invaluable in helping prove these cases.
A final thought about unwanted telephone calls. While yesterday was Election Day for many local and state races, the big day is coming. Telephone technology is more advanced than it was four years ago so just think about what the 2008 Presidential election (and the primaries leading up to it) will do to the number of automated calls made?
Political calls are conveniently exempt from the do not call registry. A new non-profit is valiantly registering names and numbers to present to campaigns so that
consumers receive only the political calls they want -- or none at all. Register at the above link if you want to be a part of that process and keep your dinner warm.
Labels: ADT, Ameriquest, Craftmatic, do not call, FTC, stop political calls
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Political Do Not Call Registry Launched
Tens of millions of Americans signed up for the original do not call registry. One of the exemptions they may not have known or cared about at the time was regarding political calls. Still another is that registration is good for only five years meaning most people need to sign up again next year.
A new registry to supplement the FTC's list is now operational, and organizers hope that politicians running for hundreds of offices nationally in 2008 begin making use of the non-profit's service. "I started the registry to improve the quality of life for the average American during the election season,” said Shaun Dakin, the registry's founder and CEO.
Dakin cites multiple studies to explain why this kind of registry is necessary. Perhaps the most telling number is that 64 percent of voters received a call (sometimes known as a "robo-call") during the final
weeks of the 2006 election according to a Pew Internet market research study. One can only imagine the call frequency increasing during a presidential race.
The best part about the new National Political Do Not Call Registry is its price: free. Voters simply visit the site to register a
free political do not call request. Unlike the FTC, this registry cannot force candidates to honor a request, but as Dakin points out, "Political candidates understand numbers."
That they do. If a consumer takes the time to tell a political candidate they don't want to be called, yet they continue receiving calls, one would expect the candidate's vote to be at risk.
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Disclosure: Consumer Help Web co-founder George Bounacos assisted the registry as an advisory board member.Labels: consumer, do not call, election, stop political calls, telephone
