Do Not Call List

[MDoug]

We signed up for the national do not call list recently. Today, however, we got a call from an "Edie," who said she was from the Meredith Police Department. "Don't panic; we're just starting our campaign," she went on. I interrupted and told her that we are on the do not call list and not to call again unless she had official police business.

Did anyone else get such a call?

[BrownstoneNorth]

We signed up for the national do not call list recently. Today, however, we got a call from an "Edie," who said she was from the Meredith Police Department. "Don't panic; we're just starting our campaign," she went on. I interrupted and told her that we are on the do not call list and not to call again unless she had official police business.

Did anyone else get such a call?

Unless there's an additional more restrictive NH law, the police aren't covered. Government and most non-profits are exempt from the National Do Not Call List even if they're soliciting. Some will remove your number if you ask them to do so, but it's voluntary on their part.

Scroll down to "Will All Telemarketing Calls Stop If I Register?" on this site:

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt107.shtm

[tis]

Brownstone is right and there are no more restrictive rules in NH. Politicians, government and non profits are allowed to call.

[RailroadJoe]

But it's still one of the biggest scams. Be careful.

[NoBozo]

We have been registered since the beginning and the calls just keep coming in. Every caller has an exemption: I don't answer the phone anymore. I have a machine. :look: NB

[Lakegeezer]

In a related topic, here's a site that offers a do not track service, registering your opt-out in one shot, across many of the trackers. http://www.networkadvertising.org/managing/opt_out.asp

[Belmont Resident]

I have been getting calls on my cell. Easy to spot though because they are all from out west.

[CGI3]

They collect money for the Meredith PD, or the fire dept. or the sherrif dept. You send 100.00 the Meredith PD gets anywere from 10-20%. Sometimes they will even ask you to write the check directly to the Meredith police dept. and in turn the PD will cut them a check for 80-90% of money collected. The PD and fire dept never turn down free money so they actually let these people collect for them. Call the Meredith Police and ask them yourself, don't take my word for it. Do not ever, ever fall for these scams. I shame the Meredith PD for letting these people do this. Had an old highschool friend that travels the country setting up PD scams. The Salem NH PD actually gave him a uniform to wear while going door to door asking for donations. This guy made a FORTUNE!!

[Rangervx]

what many said above...lots of exemptions...i still get tons of calls...my rule of thumb for my cell...if i don't know the #...i do not answer. #'s that continuously call...i put their # in a contact called "spam" and set it to go directly to VM...of course...they never leave a message....SHOCKER!!!!! at least it doesn't ring...some relief

[NHKathy]

This report that was on the Today Show features one company that is a BIG offender of this...
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/47177020/ns/today-today_rossen_reports/t/rossen-reports-telemarketers-ignore-do-not-call-list/#.T-PPd44qeS2

[patman]

Politicians, government and non profits are allowed to call.

Case in point...I'm getting tired of the LEGAL robocalls and mass mailings from Guinta...all at taxpayer expense no less!

[MDoug]

Thanks, All! Very helpful comments.

[SteveA]

Case in point...I'm getting tired of the LEGAL robocalls and mass mailings from Guinta...all at taxpayer expense no less!

Glad you brought this guy up.. he is a flat out pest with his mailing and phone calls for his "conference call" town halls. Me thinks he is afraid to actually have an "in-person" town hall.

[SteveA]

In a related topic, here's a site that offers a do not track service, registering your opt-out in one shot, across many of the trackers. http://www.networkadvertising.org/managing/opt_out.asp

What a great site! I was shocked to see how many sites I was not "Opted Out" of. I hope it works and will slow down the email SPAM. Thanks LG :)

[tis]

In a related topic, here's a site that offers a do not track service, registering your opt-out in one shot, across many of the trackers. http://www.networkadvertising.org/managing/opt_out.asp

I wish I hadn't done that. I can't opt out and now I will probably get all kinds of junk. They probably didn't know I existed before but I bet they do now. Do you think that is a scheme?

I think I am ok. I use Safari and I have third party and advertisers already blocked so I think that is why it won't work for me.

[Kamper]

Your cell phone is no longer protected from solicitation calls. Verizon told me that expired and I put it on the DNC last winter. No problems since then.

[webmaster]

This has become a problem for me too and I'm now also getting lots of text message spam. I just verified that my numbers are on the DNC list at https://www.donotcall.gov/confirm/conf.aspx. I've been listed since 2010 but the calls and texts keep coming.

The best solution I've found is an iPhone app called iBlacklist. Unfortunately this app only works on a jailbroke (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IOS_jailbreaking) iPhone. If you don't know what jailbreaking (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IOS_jailbreaking) is then this solution may not be for you. When you have iBlacklist installed and you receive a spam call or text you just bring up "add from recent calls" or "add from recent messages" and tap the number. Then you'll never get another call from that number. You can set the app to send the blocked call either to voicemail, a busy signal or just hang up. After a few months of blocking numbers my spam calls and texts dropped from several a day to a few a week.

Again, this solution is not for everyone but it is working well for me.

[SIKSUKR]

When I first set up DNC it worked great at cutting down all the live calls except from companies soliciting money for police departments. The recorded calls continue daily from the same numbers. I made a mistake and made a donation to my local pd(Bedford), thinking it was from that dept. Soon after I was hit up from somebody representing many different police associations. I think I counted 8 in all. Never again.

[GTO]

We signed up for the national do not call list recently. Today, however, we got a call from an "Edie," who said she was from the Meredith Police Department. "Don't panic; we're just starting our campaign," she went on. I interrupted and told her that we are on the do not call list and not to call again unless she had official police business.

Did anyone else get such a call?

For a month, we would get a call from The American Red Cross. The caller ID came up on the TV almost everynight. When I finally answered, I asked them to take my name off their list and not call again. The very next night, same call came in. Ignored them for about a week and then answered again and told them that the reason I do not give blood is because of their annoying phone calls. Again, I told them to take my name off the list. Again, they called back for about a week.

[Chickie]

For at least the past year (maybe two) I have continually gotten calls from "Rachel" about "my credit card". It is an automated call so I can't even voice my frustration with a few choice words. Has anyone else received these annoying calls from Rachel?

[MDoug]

Oh, yeah! Rachel has become legendary for her credit card calls.

[Winnigirl]

For at least the past year (maybe two) I have continually gotten calls from "Rachel" about "my credit card". It is an automated call so I can't even voice my frustration with a few choice words. Has anyone else received these annoying calls from Rachel?

Yes,she calls at least 4 times a week and now from a CO number. Try googling the number - it is truly unreal how companies get away with this stuff. This has been going on for 5 months and I am ready to change my phone number.

[no-engine]

When I get solicited at business number, it's such a waste of time, and if I answer (no caller ID on land line), I often ask if they are employed by PD or FD or sheriff, etc,. as soon as they hesitate, I also say bye!!!!!!!!!!

[Kamper]

My "home-office" number is on the DNCL but the problem is so bad for our h/o workers, we had to reprogram our phone servers. Instead of letting it forwarding each call, we open the line to the server and the line stays live until we hang it up. We click a tab on our computers to open, close or transfer the calls.

I'm sure it's expensive as heck to keep a line open for 8-12 hours a day but if our hard-line is in use when the server tries to send a call through it shows on the report as not being answerred within our service guarantee period. Too many of those and we pay a penalty back to the clients. For the worker it looks like "call-avoidance" and too much of that results in out-placement. Some people get head-aches from the back ground noise of the open circuit and switch back to the old-method. Management is not amused at that either...

Occasionally I'll see a petition to ban cold-call solicition and I always sign them.

[songkrai]

My opinion.

NEVER donate over the phone. Period.

If you wish to donate to the local police department, chief of police association, state police, state police officers association, firefighters fund, and on and on . . . . then just go down and give them money.

ALL of these phone calls are not from any police department. They are paid companies that keep (as stated above) about 85%. The PRIVATE companies KEEP 85% and the local police or fire get about 15%.

I too have spoken with both the state police and the local police chief. All shrug their heads and state that 15% is better then nothing.

It is a shame for the poor and our seniors who fall for this almost 'scam'. Those that donate think that they are helping someone or some group.

If you are really inclined to donate money go down to the NH Veterans Home in Tilton. Walk into the Volunteers office and give some money to them. They are all volunteers and any money is spent on the Veterans.

[dpg]

I only give to animal shelters and don't do that "automatically." I go to Wally World and buy huge bags of dog and cat food and bring them myself to shelters of my choice. That way I know the money is getting used where I want it spent - 100%.

The idiots in government need to fix all the other issues going on in the world. Wait, that is when their finished holding hearings with baseball players about steroid use. 80 year olds can't afford health insurance, that's ok lets chase ball players instead.

[Happy Gourmand]

I am on it, but occasionally an unwanted call gets through. If I'm in a good mood and want to have a little fun, I tell the caller that I am very interested in what they have to say/sell/talk about but I don't have time right now and would they please let me have their home phone number so I can call them back when it is convenient for me. There is usually a long pause after which I say "hello, are you there...can I have your home phone number please...you have mine." If I get a response, iy's usually something like, "I not allowed give that out to you", after which I tell them that they are no longer allowed to call me either. Sometimes they hang up before I do.

[gtxrider]

We see lots of calls from SPOOFERS. They use Voice over IP (VoIP) and the calling party number is not real. Some are so bad that the number of call the make to a specific area causes network congestion (all circuits are busy announcements). If you GOOGLE the number you can see lots of complaints from people getting called over and over and most are scams. "You have won a free trip all we need is your credit card number".


Now about police departments asking for donations. I was told by a police chief here in NJ that they do not solicite over the phone they use the mail for donations.

[BroadHopper]

Now about police departments asking for donations. I was told by a police chief here in NJ that they do not solicite over the phone they use the mail for donations.

Same goes to the fire departments. The fire chief in laconia mentioned that on the LADASUN when an elderly couple sent money to a scammer claiming he was the local fire department.