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Guest Commentary December 10, 2001
House Approves Know Your Caller Act
The Honorable Rick Boucher
Most of us, maybe as recently as this week, have received unsolicited telephone calls at home from telemarketers. In an attempt to identify calls which might be from telemarketers, many people have purchased Caller ID services which display the phone number of the caller. While the majority of telemarketing companies operate legitimate businesses, there is a growing number of companies who use unscrupulous business practices in their attempts to conceal themselves from consumers. For example, some telemarketers are able to block their phone number from appearing on Caller ID devices or from being reported by *69, the return call service. These telemarketing calls are listed as having numbers which are "out of the area," "unavailable" or "anonymous."
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Earlier this month the House of Representatives approved, with my strong support, the Know Your Caller Act which will eliminate the practice of telemarketers being able to call consumers without revealing their identity. The legislation will prohibit telemarketers from blocking their phone number and identity from Caller ID devices and systems where *69 can be utilized.
The passage of the Know Your Caller Act continues our efforts to protect consumers from unwanted phone solicitations. In 1991 the Congress approved and the President signed into law legislation which requires telemarketers to maintain a record of persons who request not to be contacted again. To be added to this list a consumer who receives a telephone solicitation should clearly state that they want to be added to the caller's do-not-call list. Telemarketers are required to then add the name and phone number to its do-not-call list for 10 years from the date of the consumers request. During this 10 year period the telemarketing company is not allowed to make further telephone solicitations to that phone number.
The number of telephone solicitations received at home can further be reduced by contacting the Telephone Preference Service at the Direct Marketing Association (DMA). The DMA publishes and markets to telemarketing firms a list of consumers who do not wish to receive solicitations calls. A name can be added to DMA's list by sending the name, telephone number (including area code) and address to Telephone Preference Service, Direct Marketing Association, Post Office Box 9014, Farmindale, New York 11735-9014.
Individuals who would like more information regarding steps which can be taken to reduce unsolicited telephone marketing calls can access the Federal Communication Commission's brochure on unwanted solicitations at http://www.fcc.gov/ccb/consumer_news/unsolici.html.
Rick Boucher is a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives (D-Virginia) and writes a weekly column. The above has been adapted from his column of December 7, 2001. To contact him, Click Here.
The above column has been distributed by PoliticsOL.com.
