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‘Do Not Call’ ever again

Alisa Roth Oct 30, 2007
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‘Do Not Call’ ever again

Alisa Roth Oct 30, 2007
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TEXT OF STORY

Scott Jagow: The national “Do Not Call” list went into effect four years ago. It was supposed to keep telemarketers from calling people on the list for five years, so you’d have to sign up again next year. But today, Congress gets a bill that might do away with that idea. Alisa Roth reports.


Alisa Roth: The new bill is called the Do Not Call Improvement Act of 2007. Under the new law, you wouldn’t jump up from dinner to hear this:

Teleworker: This is Kathleen Riggio. I’m calling on behalf of Delta Airlines . . .

Even if you forgot to renew after five years. Because it would make the Do Not Call Registry permanent.

Sally Greenberg directs the National Consumers League. She says there are 145 million phone numbers on the list already.

Sally Greenberg: There really is no downside, from the consumer point of view, to continuing the successes of the Do Not Call list.

Even groups who might have a reason to dislike the list — like telemarketers — don’t have many complaints.

Jerry Cirasale is with the Direct Marketing Association:

Jerry Cirasale: But we’re trying to get some policies in there to improve accuracy of the list, because we think both businesses and consumers benefit from a more accurate of the list.

That means updating the list more often, so phone numbers that have been abandoned can be taken off more quickly.

In New York, I’m Alisa Roth for Marketplace.

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