telemarketers and cell phones

[SCUMFROG]

A friend just sent me an e-mail saying that as of Jan-1-2005 all cell phones numbers will be made public to telemarketers. Has any one else heard of this? She sent me a link that you can register you number on so they wont call you.

[Ole1855]

I got the same email this morning, these type of messages make me wonder if they are real. Another friend of mine called the Beter Business Bureau and they said it was legit.

Ole

[ChuckN]

I registered all my numbers on the "DO NOT CALL LIST" yesterday.

[SCUMFROG]

I was thinking about calling my cell phone porvider and asking them... I don't trust any one with all the identity theft going on now a days.

[DrKen]

My wife works for qwest and on of her coworkers in another dept was telling her this. guess it's true. just registered my phones. You can do it on www(dot)donotcall(dot)gov

[SCUMFROG]

I called my provider they are not going to do this. But if you guys are going to the site and putting your numbers on the list I think I might also. You would think alot of people would cancel they're cell phones because of this. I know I will if it starts.

[Harmonica Bear]

I just got this from our MIS Director at work. It is legit.

The national directory of cell phone numbers is about to be published. Once this happens telemarketers will have access to your cell phone number! This will be even more annoying than the calls to your "regular" phone because in addition to being a disruption, these calls will also use your cellular minutes. If you wish to avoid this, register your cell number on the National Do Not Call list as soon as possible. You can do this by going on-line to http://www.donotcall.gov or by calling 888-382-1222 from the phone you wish to register. If you use the on-line registration you can enter up to 3 phone numbers. DS

Good luck,

HB

[bassman186]

Yeah its true, I just got an E-mail from the Coon Rapids Police Dept. Stating as of Jan. 1st 2005 Cell Phone Numbers will be made public to telemarketing firms.

You have until DEC.15, to register by calling 1-888-382-1222 from the cell phone or registering at www.donotcall.gov. Once registered it goes into effect for 5 years.

~Matt

[The Grebe]

Scumfrog...Thank you for this public service announcement, it could save all of us cell users alot of headaches and lost $$ in cell minutes used.

I had to jump through hoops and do all kinds of stuff, for a long period of time, to slow down and eventually stop the unsolicited calls, both on my home phone and my fax.

The unwanted fax calls would come in at a rate of about 6 per day and eat up the carbon ribbon in short order...at $30.00 a pop, I did'nt want to waste it on advertising crap like buying balloons, or having my legs waxed!

Your announcement enables us to get a leg up on these dinks, kinda stop em at the gate! This is'nt any chicken little stuff either, because once the telemarketers get in, they are hard to shake.

[gunflint]

No cell coverage, no cell phone, no problem.

[TV BOY]

Grebe,

Was the process the same to get the fax line on the "do not call list"? I also hate all those junk faxes! I bet 25% of our faxes are crap

[SCUMFROG]

No problem Grebe, I'm just looking out for my fellow outdoors men/women. I hope every one reads this before it's to late.

[JP Z]

this is from truthorfiction.com a great reference to double check some of these erumors and viruses, etc.

Cell Phone Numbers Are Being Handed Over to Telemarketers And You've Got a Short Time to Keep Your Cell Phone Number Out of Their Hands -Mostly Fiction!

Summary of the eRumor

The eRumor warns that cell phone numbers will soon be published in the same way as the numbers for wired phones and that you should sign up with a new government cell phone "do not call" registry to prevent solicitor calls from coming to your mobile phone.

Some versions say the cell phone numbers are being handed over to telemarketers by a certain date, such as January 1, 2005.

Some versions say there is a deadline for listing your cell phone on a "do not call list" such as December, 2004.

The Truth

The U.S. government has established a "do not call" registry where you can list phone numbers you want blocked from unsolicited calls such as from telemarketers.

That registry is for phone wired and mobile phones and there is no deadline by which a phone number needs to be listed in order to be protected from telemarketing calls.

There is not a separate cell phone registry.

The registry is at: www.donotcall.gov.

At this writing (12/3/04) there is discussion among mobile providers about setting up a mobile phone directory listing mobile phone numbers.

According to the Cellular Telephone and Internet Association (CTIA), a cell phone directory is proposed that would be available through calling directory assistance only, not published in writing or on the Internet.

So far, there is not a set date when that will be done and the CTIA says the numbers are not going to be "handed over" to telemarketers.

Users would have the option of not having their numbers listed in the directory.

Some telemarketers call some phone numbers regardless of whether they are listed in directories because some of they use devices that dial numbers in sequence looking for working numbers.

[The Grebe]

TVBoy...When the faxes come in, they have a number on them that you can call, stating that you don't want to recieve them.

It takes something like 30 days (Can't remember exactly?) to activate and by that time, their number is changed and it seems that they come at you from a new angle, with a new pitch. Sometimes they make it seem like you are buds and it's personal, sometimes like it's a mistake that they sent it to you, especially about wonder diet stuff.

You have to keep physical documentation, i.e. the advertisments themselves and submit them to the FCC. They have a number and an address where to call and/or send the info.

I can't remember all the specifics, once I got the problem solved I did'nt keep it in my head...I know I also got in touch with the State Attorney Generals office about telemarketers stealing the use of my equipment, without my permission. I do remember writing and telling someone or other, that it would be no different then if I went onto a construction site and started using some contractors BobCat for my own uses.

I started unplugging the fax when I was'nt using it and expected nothing to come in and after a time, "Voila" I seldom get an unwanted fax and it is on 24/7 now.