mail surprise

[cellio]

The certified letter from the attorney general (that I had to pick up in person, grumble grumble) did not exactly inspire warm fuzzy thoughts, though I couldn't imagine anything I'd done to prompt scrutiny.

The first thing I pulled out of the envelope was a check for $20. The second thing was a letter thanking me for my help in nailing the telemarketing scum that ignored the do-not-call list. (Ok, the letter didn't say "scum".) The check is my share of the fine.

Wow, who knew? First that the do-not-call list would actually be enforced, and second, that people who report violations might get something out of doing so?

Comments

[cellio]

I've reported three or four violations (is it too much to hope that more money will come my way? :-) ), and I don't remember which methods went with which callers. One case involved repeated messages on my answering machine, so that was easy. In one case I played along with the "offer" just a bit, saying that we'd been thinking of buying that very service (which was true, but I'll never reward a telemarketer with business) and could the caller remind me who they were so I could avoid duplicate appointments if my husband had already called them?

When asking for their company name and phone number, it's important to let them have the impression that you're a potential customer. So you don't say "I'm on the do-not-call list; who did you say you are?". Get the information first; maybe you need to discuss purchases with your spouse, or maybe this isn't a good time (you're cooking dinner etc), or maybe you just need time to think it over.

My rate of (commercial) junk calls has gone way down since they started the list. Sadly, I still hear from just as many fundraisers and politicians, who are exempt.

Oh, and if you haven't done so already, get your cell phone onto the do-not-call list right away. Someone's getting ready to publish a directory.

[indigodove.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the cell phone heads-up. Eeep, how annoying that would be!

My dad really hates telemarketers. He was tempted to frame his first check and letter from reporting a violation of the DNC list. :-)

[cellio]

Frame the letter if that's what makes him happy, but cash the check. :-)

thank goodness for snopes

[dmnsqrl.livejournal.com]

http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/cell411.asp

Re: thank goodness for snopes

[cellio]

Thanks! Hmm, at least one conventional news source I use got this wrong, though I can't remember now whether it was CNN or one of our local papers. Every news source gets something wrong, so I guess we were due. :-)