TELEMARKETING, JUNK MAIL, AND FAXES

Don't Ask, Don't Telemarket

The Annoyance:

I get more calls from telemarketers or their auto-dialer machines than from people I know. I'm sick to death of it. How do I make it stop?

The Fix:

Here's something that actually seems to work: sign up for the Federal Trade Commission's Do Not Call List. Since it launched in June 2003, more than 85 million Americans have signed up. You can add your name and number to the rolls by visiting www.donotcall.gov or calling [phone]. You'll have to wait three months before your request officially takes effect. Telemarketers that violate the Do Not Call rules can be fined up to $11,000 per incident (to file a complaint, visit https://www.donotcall.gov/Complain/ComplainCheck.aspx). As of June 2004, the FTC had received more than 550,000 complaints about companies violating the list, though it had taken action against only one telemarketing firm thus far.

Do Not Call Does Not Work

The Annoyance:

OK, I signed up for the Do Not Call list (DNC). Yet I still get calls at my place of work from charitable organizations and other businesses. What gives?

The Fix:

Unfortunately, the Feds also built in a number of exceptions to the DNC. For example, the list only covers home numbers, not businesses. Political or charitable organizations and people taking surveys are also exempt. You can try adding your business number to see if telemarketers will remove it anyway (seemed to work for me). You can also use the Direct Marketing Association's mail preference service, which is used by some charities as well as businesses, to take your name off calling lists (see http://www.dmaconsumers.org/cgi/offtelephonedave). Otherwise you'll have to ask each organization that calls you to put your name and number on its internal do-not-call list, which they're legally required to honor.

PRIVACY ON LINE ONE

Used properly, your telephone can be an effective weapon in the battle to defend your privacy but only if you order the right services and are willing to pay a little more for them. Not all services will be available in all areas, so check with your local phone carrier.

Voice Mail: Telemarketers generally hate voice mail, and that's reason enough to get it. If you have an unlisted number but need a number to give to business colleagues (or your dry cleaner, veterinarian, etc.), get a line that goes straight to a voice mailbox, and remember to check it periodically.

Caller ID: These days most phones come with a small screen that displays who's calling you, so all you need to do is order the Caller ID service. I never pick up the phone without scanning the ID first, so I know if I really want to talk to this person. (So if you call but can never reach me, well, now you know why.)

Caller ID Blocking: On the other hand, you may not want people to have access to your phone number every time you call. ID blocking makes your number anonymous to those on the other end of the line (except for calls to toll-free numbers or 911).

Anonymous call reject: Use this when people with Caller ID blocking call you. They must call back, entering a short prefix (like *82) that unblocks their number just for this call.

Priority ring: Want to know when it's your loved ones and not a sleazy telemarketer on the line? You can assign certain numbers a special ring tone, so you don't even have to check Caller ID.

Block that Scam

The Annoyance:

I've signed the DNC and opted out from various businesses that call me. Yet I'm still harangued by callers touting bogus investments, rare coins and stamps, offshore lotteries, and emu farms. How do I get these sleaze merchants out of my life?

The Fix:

The bad news is that once you're on somebody's sucker list, it's hard to get off. Your name and number will get sold from one scammer to the next (and if you actually invest in any of these flimflams, you'll get even more calls). You can report these con artists to your local police and the FBI's Consumer Sentinel site (http://www.consumer.gov/sentinel/), but first you'll have to keep the scammers on the phone long enough to capture information (like a street address or call back number) that the Feds can use to nail them. The Junkbusters site offers a script (http://www.junkbusters.com/script.html) you can use the next time a scammer calls. Or you can download the free Enigma Anti-Telemarketing software (http://www.kahl.net/reduce/telemarketing.html#Enigma), which contains a similar script alongside relevant laws, and lets you keep a record of your conversations with these folks (see Figure 2-5).

annoyances 2-5. Want to see a telemarketer wrapped in an Enigma? This very simple PC and Mac program gives you an easy way to track and report unwanted telemarketing calls.

When you dial a toll-free number, your number is recorded by the company you're calling (hey, they're paying for it, so they get to see who's calling). Even if you've got Caller ID blocking turned on, the company may be able to see it using a system called Automatic Number Identification. Theoretically, they could add it to their lists and use it to call you at some later date. If you jealously guard your phone number, use a calling card or call from a different number, or dial the company's toll number.

Just the Fax, Ma'am

The Annoyance:

Every morning at 6 a.m., my fax machine spews out another ad for cheap health insurance, stupid stock tips, or low-rent cruise vacations. Isn't there a law against this? What can I do to stop it?

The Fix:

Yes, there's a law all right. The Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 specifically prohibits the involuntary use of your fax machine as an advertising medium (see Figure 2-6). But that hasn't stopped companies like Fax.com from spewing out tens of millions of unwanted ads or from being sued for trillions (yes, trillions) of dollars in damages under the Act. What you can do about junk faxes depends on how much time you want to devote to the topic. The simplest method? Most junk faxes come with a toll-free opt out number you can call to unsubscribe. In my experience, about half the time the number doesn't work. But I have seen a reduction in junk faxes since I called (your mileage may vary).

If you're in a fighting mood, you can demand money (from $500 to $1,500 per fax) from the fax broadcasters and/or the companies that use them. The Junkfax.org site details a dozen different ways to fight back, from sending demand letters to suing in small claims court, along with ways to figure out just who's sending you all this crap and lists of attorneys who specialize in such cases. Just be sure to hang onto the faxes; you'll need them when you have your day in court.

annoyances 2-6. Is your fax machine spewing out junk ads like these? You might be able to sue the pants off the folks who send it (though collecting on the suit is another matter).

Junking Junk Mail

The Annoyance:

My mailbox is groaning under the weight of catalogs, mailers, brochures, and "You may have already won!" offers. I want to get letters from only people I know.

The Fix:

You're not alone. According to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, the average American receives around 30 pounds of junk mail per year about four trees' worth. You'll never totally eliminate junk mail, but you can reduce the level of deforestation slightly. First, use the Direct Marketing Association's Mail Preference Service to get your name off national mailing lists. If you're willing to pony up $5 for the privilege, you can sign up online (http://www.dmaconsumers.org/cgi/offmailinglist). You can also send your request via snail mail to:

Naturally, there are some caveats. You'll wait at least three months before you'll see any effect; many direct marketers don't adhere to the DMA's mail preferences, so they'll continue to send you junk; and this request only covers mail sent to a home, not a business. But that's just the beginning. The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse site has excellent, highly detailed instructions on how to get off other mailing lists (see http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs4-junk.htm).

Be careful when tossing your junk mail; companies (particularly financial institutions) have been known to send privacy disclosure information in packages that look suspiciously like unsolicited advertisements. So look before you feed everything to the shredder.

Direct the Junk Elsewhere

Want to reduce your junk mail, but still want long-lost friends and relatives to find you? Call the phone company and change your directory entry so it only lists your name and number, not your address. If there's no street address or ZIP code, marketers will be less interested in you.

Flag Mag Nags

The Annoyance:

I get a lot of catalogs and other junk I don't want, and I'm convinced that the magazines I subscribe to are selling my name to these merchants. How do I get them to stop? How do I know who they're selling it to? Is there a one-stop place to opt out?

The Fix:

When it comes to generating unwanted marketing dreck, magazines are some of the biggest culprits (and I know, because I've worked for a bunch of them). They rent their subscriber lists to advertisers, catalog merchants, and anyone willing to pony up a few pennies per name. The classic trick for tracking who's renting your name is to sign up for subscriptions using a slightly different name for each publication so if you signed up for The New Yorker, you might use Bob NYer Smith. Then track how much junk mail comes addressed to Bob NYer. To simply stop them from renting your name, check the magazine masthead you'll usually find an address or phone number you can use to opt out.

Pick Your Mail

The Annoyance:

I don't want to stop all mail advertisements. I'm in the market for a retirement home, so I want to receive any offers related to retirement communities and resorts. How do I attract the mail I want without getting buried by stuff I detest?

The Fix:

Laser-like precision in this realm isn't likely. Still, you may be able to winnow a bit by using Junkbuster's handy Declarations Form (http://www.junkbusters.com/jdu.html). This form lets you state exactly what kinds of solicitations you will or won't accept, and from what kinds of companies (charities, magazines, financial services, etc). You can then send the declaration to direct mailers, post it on your web site, or ask Junkbusters to send the form to you. Marketers may ignore your request, but at least you've tried.