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Make Your Home A Telemarketing-Free Zone
National "Do-Not-Call" Registry Now Up and Running

Washington, Aug 20 -

Have you had your dinnertime interrupted by nagging telemarketing phone calls? How many times have you run back into the house to get the phone, only to find out it's a sales pitch waiting for you to say hello? Has your child's study time been disturbed by incessant calls? You're not alone. American households have been bombarded with an average of 300 unsolicited telemarketing calls a year. Each day, telemarketers have been placing an average of 100 million such calls.

Rep. Ed Royce is encouraging consumers to use the new "Do Not Call" Registry to block unwanted telemarketing calls. He strongly supported the Do-Not-Call Implementation Act [H.R. 395] when it passed the House in February.

"Individuals fed up with unwanted sales calls can now make their homes 'telemarketing-free zones' by simply signing up with the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) Do-Not-Call website at www.donotcall.gov and providing the phone number they want protected," he said.

Consumers who register will likely see a decrease in telemarketing calls as the government begins enforcing the Do-Not-Call list in October. The FTC expects to register up to 60 million phone numbers the first year of enforcement.

"Before Congress empowered the government to do this, consumers had to call each and every telemarketing company and request to be put on their respective 'Do-Not-Call' list. This method has been very susceptible to fraud, including identity theft scams, not to mention being time-consuming and frustrating," said Royce.

Individuals can register online at www.donotcall.gov if they have an active email address. They can also call toll-free, 1-888-382-1222 (TTY 1-866-290-4236) from the number they wish to register. Registration is free.

"The new 'Do-Not-Call' Registry finally puts consumers in charge of who's calling them at home. By putting their home phone numbers on this safe national registry, consumers can help stop the incessant and unwanted interruptions during dinner hour and their children's homework time," said Royce.