[Mishmash] FTC On The Job

[Fred Atkinson]

    I was looking at the FTC Web site early this morning.  Thought you folks
might want to know about a couple of things that the FTC is actively doing:

        First: http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2006/08/movieland.htm

        Second: http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2006/08/directv.htm

    So, the FTC is on the job.

    A while back, Bob Bulmash of Private Citizen, Inc. called me because a
reporter wanted to speak to one of his PCI members about how well the
National Do Not Call (NDNC) list is working.  He conferenced me up and I
told him that I haven't gotten a telemarketing call in well over a year.
Apparently the reporter believed that the NDNC list isn't doing the job.  It
took some of the wind out of his sails.

    I can't believe how long it took to get that infrastructure in place.
The telemarketers fought that law with all the money that they could hurl at
it.  But in the end, consumers won out.

    If you haven't gotten your number added to the NDNC, go to
http://www.donotcall.gov.  Click on 'Register a Phone Number' and then
follow the instructions given.

    Your addition to the NDNC is not complete unless you receive a
confirmation email and click on the link in the message.  Check your email
and be sure you click on that link.

    You will be happy you did.

    It takes thirty days for your number to be distributed to all the
telemarketing companies.  Your number remains on that list for five years.

    If you service should be interupted (for not paying your phone bill,
etc.), your number is removed from the NDNC list.  When your service is
restored, you can re-register it.

    Regards,



                                                                        Fred