BBB Tip of the Week: Does the do-not-call list work?
Do you feel like changing your phone number because you continue to receive unwanted solicitation and scam phone calls? In 2003, the Federal Trade Commission established the national Do-Not-Call registry to prevent unwanted phone solicitations and comply with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. The question is: “Is it working?”
The answer is, yes, kind of. According to the FTC, 226 million phone numbers were listed on the Do-Not-Call registry in 2016. This is the largest number since the registry began. There are a few reasons the registry seems inadequate. The first is technology. With the advancement of automatic robocalling and number spoofing, it is very difficult to keep up with the volume of calls being made by scammers.
Secondly, scammers don’t follow rules or laws and don’t care about the Do-Not-Call registry. A majority of legitimate sellers adhere to the Do-Not-Call registry, and for those solicitors, the registry is working. To verify if your phone number is on the registry, visit donotcall.gov or call 1-888-382-1222. It is free to register your number if it is not on the list.
Better Business Bureau serving the Northwest offers these additional options for reducing unwanted phone calls:
Don’t answer. It is really simple. If you don’t recognize the phone number coming through caller ID, don’t answer, even if it appears to be coming from the local area. Be sure to update your contacts in your phone so you will recognize the person calling.
Look into smartphone apps. There are phone applications that will help monitor your calls and notify you if a scam or automatic robocall is coming in an attempt to contact you. Be sure to research the app’s reviews and understand how it will be using your information, before hitting the download and install buttons.
Ask your wireless network provider. Some wireless network providers have developed programs that will notify you if a call is coming from a possible scammer.
If you do receive a phone scam call, report it at donotcall.gov and the BBB Scamtracker at bbb.org/scamtracker.