# I'm on the "Do Not Call" list, but they won't stop calling.. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 30, 2004, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-on-the-do-not-call-list-but-they-wont-stop-calling/252813 "2004-06-30T01:59:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-on-the-do-not-call-list-but-they-wont-stop-calling/252813/1 "2004-06-30T01:59:52Z")
The “State Fraternal Order of Police” continue to call me stating that I donated to them last year (not true) and asking for a donation this year. I must not be handling this right because every time they call, I ask “Are you a charity because I’m on the do not call list” whereupon the promptly hang up on me. The last guy said his name was Darrell. They’ve called me 5 times over the last 6-7 days. I’ve heard they are a bogus ‘charity’ and so am not interested in donating to them. They did this to me last year, too (frequent, pushy calls, claiming I or my spouse donated). What should I do? ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-on-the-do-not-call-list-but-they-wont-stop-calling/252813/2 "2004-06-30T05:46:51Z")
Call the phone company. Tell them that you are getting harrassing phone calls from a telemarketer who refuses to obey the Do Not Call registry. Tell them that you want a log kept of incoming calls. Keep track of the date and time that you get these calls, that way they can get the number that was used (they won’t give this to you I bet, but it can be used to go after the offenders). I’ve had to deal with this type of behavior before. Be polite and very persistent. Don’t take “No” for an answer. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-on-the-do-not-call-list-but-they-wont-stop-calling/252813/3 "2004-06-30T05:56:52Z")
I haven’t answered my phone in about a year. Am on the list, have CallerID and an answering machine and I get about 5-10 calls a day which are OUT OF AREA and machine hangups (i.e. telemarketers). It happens so much I don’t even turn my phone’s ringer on. I just notice when my CallerID light is blinking, check it and call them back (if its someone). The practice of unsolicited telephone & email marketing should just be flat out illegal. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-on-the-do-not-call-list-but-they-wont-stop-calling/252813/4 "2004-06-30T12:35:00Z")
Being at least officially a charity, aren’t they exempt from the do not call list? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-on-the-do-not-call-list-but-they-wont-stop-calling/252813/5 "2004-06-30T12:38:46Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > Being at least officially a charity, aren’t they exempt from the do not call list? Yes. Assuming there are, indeed , a legit charity. If the OP _had_ donated something last year, the caller would be exempt due to the 18-month rule. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-on-the-do-not-call-list-but-they-wont-stop-calling/252813/6 "2004-06-30T12:42:09Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > Being at least officially a charity, aren’t they exempt from the do not call list? As long as you tell them you want no more contact. **Ca3** you don’t have your state listed. Find out what your state laws are concerning recording calls. For instance, my state allows recording as long as one party knows it’s being done. i.e. I can record any call coming into my house without permission, or even knowledge, of the other party. That goes for outgoing calls as well. See if you can record the calls. It makes for great evidence. The next best I can tell you is get a number change. Ask the phone company for one that hasn’t been used for at least 5 years and request it be unlisted/unpublished. If this would work, just explain the reason for the change and the phone co. should waive the fee. ---
**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-on-the-do-not-call-list-but-they-wont-stop-calling/252813/7 "2004-06-30T13:07:27Z")
> [@Hail Ants](#): > > I just notice when my CallerID light is blinking, check it and call them back (if its someone). That’s such a great idea. I think _everyone_ should do that. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-on-the-do-not-call-list-but-they-wont-stop-calling/252813/8 "2004-06-30T13:18:47Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > The next best I can tell you is get a number change. Ask the phone company for one that hasn’t been used for at least 5 years and request it be unlisted/unpublished. If this would work, just explain the reason for the change and the phone co. should waive the fee. I wondered about this. Don’t these slimey telemarketers just run through every possible phone number combo? For example, today I’m going to call 631-832-XXXX where XXXX == 0001-\> 9999. Anyone whose number falls in that range will get called, regardless of “published” status. ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-on-the-do-not-call-list-but-they-wont-stop-calling/252813/9 "2004-06-30T14:22:52Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > For example, today I’m going to call 631-832-XXXX where XXXX == 0001-\> 9999. > Anyone whose number falls in that range will get called, regardless of “published” status. Yep, it happens. The company I work for has a block of phone numbers, some currently in use, some not. Unassigned/unattended numbers ring a bell, and we take turns picking it up. For about a week, there was a fax machine that was calling every number in that block, one after another. Now we have about 200 numbers, and about 5 fax machines, so most of the calls would hit a telephone, not a fax number. After a couple of days of this, we were calling the Better Business Bureau, the phone number on the fax, the fax number on the fax, the phone number of the company name on the fax, the phone company, any one we could think of. We finally got the to put the entire block of numbers on their do-not-call list. (It turns out that the company sending the faxes was using the name of another company, without their consent, on the faxes. The whole thing turned out to be funny, once we got past the annoying phone/fax ringing thing.) ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-on-the-do-not-call-list-but-they-wont-stop-calling/252813/10 "2004-06-30T15:20:23Z")
I’m trying to identify who it is that is calling. This is the legit FOP: [http://www.texasfop.org/](http://www.texasfop.org/) This (I think) is the fake one that is calling (from the BBB website): [http://www.data.bbb.org/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=houston/houston/showrpt.html?language=english&bis=n&zid=15681](http://www.data.bbb.org/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=houston/houston/showrpt.html?language=english&bis=n&zid=15681) The BBB reports the company as a law enforcement telemarketer and says "This company is a telemarketer that solicits donations in the name of, or on behalf of law enforcement unions or associations. Most of the donations that are made will not benefit an actual law enforcement agency or their causes, or a very small percentage of donations go to the cause. In most cases much of the donated money is used for fundraising activities of the telemarketer. Your gift may not be deductible as a charitable donation. " I calle dht ephone number listed for this company, but a young girl answered, not a business. I emailed the legit FOP to ask if they solicit donations by phone and if they are calling me. The company that keeps calling me seems to be using a name that is very, very similar to the real organization in the hopes that donors won’t look too closely at them before donating. They don’t want me to call them back- they want to mail me some literature but only if I agree to donate first. I understand that persistant telemarketers can incur a hefty fine which is why I think they keep hanging up on me when I ask if they are a charity- they don’t want to get any deeper into the conversation and leave themselves open to being fined (which I think they should qualify for fight now). This is my third round with these people where they call persisitanly for seveal days or even a couple of weeks. It seems to happen about every 6- 8 months. I’m thinking they should be punished for lying and harrassment. I want to ask better questions to have them fined. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-on-the-do-not-call-list-but-they-wont-stop-calling/252813/11 "2004-06-30T15:44:08Z")
The next time they call, say, “Please remove my number from your calling list”. If they call after that, contact the FCC. The FCC’s website is [www.fcc.gov](http://www.fcc.gov), and their consumer information and contact number is 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-on-the-do-not-call-list-but-they-wont-stop-calling/252813/12 "2004-06-30T16:21:09Z")
I called the FCC and they said they only deal with problems regarding fraudulent sevice or product phone sales, not charitable donation calls. I told him I thought it was a fraudulent charity. He suggested I contact the Atty Generals’s office for my state but cautioned me that if the telemarketer is really working for the FOP, even if they supply one percent of the donations recieved, they may well be within the letter of the law (but I don’t think they are working for the FOP- I’ve emailed them but not heard back yet). I have not asked them not to call me (this round) because they hang up on me so fast. As I said, I don’t think i’m handling it right. I did ask them to remove me from their list that last two two rounds, though, which they obviously have not done. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-on-the-do-not-call-list-but-they-wont-stop-calling/252813/13 "2004-06-30T16:24:08Z")
Perhaps you need to read up onm your rights -----\> [https://www.donotcall.gov/](https://www.donotcall.gov/) > [@](#): > > Who May or May Not Call? > Q: Who is covered by the National Do Not Call Registry? > > A: The National Do Not Call Registry applies to any plan, program or campaign to sell goods or services through interstate phone calls. This includes telemarketers who solicit consumers, often on behalf of third party sellers. It also includes sellers who provide, offer to provide, or arrange to provide goods or services to consumers in exchange for payment. > > The National Do Not Call Registry does not limit calls by political organizations, charities or telephone surveyors. > > Q: What about an established business relationship? > > A: A telemarketer or seller may call a consumer with whom it has an established business relationship for up to 18 months after the consumer’s last purchase, delivery, or payment - even if the consumer’s number is on the National Do Not Call Registry. In addition, a company may call a consumer for up to three months after the consumer makes an inquiry or submits an application to the company. And if a consumer has given a company written permission, the company may call even if the consumer’s number is on the National Do Not Call Registry. > > One caveat: if a consumer asks a company not to call, the company may not call, even if there is an established business relationship. Indeed, a company may not call a consumer - regardless of whether the consumer’s number is on the registry - if the consumer has asked to be put on the company’s own do not call list. Source: [https://www.donotcall.gov/FAQ/FAQBusiness.aspx](https://www.donotcall.gov/FAQ/FAQBusiness.aspx) ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-on-the-do-not-call-list-but-they-wont-stop-calling/252813/14 "2004-06-30T17:40:29Z")
Thanks Duckster. I’m on the “Do Not Call List”. I do not have a realtionship with the company. I have asked them to place me on their do not call list in the past. What next? ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-on-the-do-not-call-list-but-they-wont-stop-calling/252813/15 "2004-06-30T18:06:53Z")
I was home sick with strep throat a couple weeks ago. The phone kept ringing from this central A/C company. I live in an apartment. Grr. I told them to stop calling me and hung up. They proceeded to call me a couple more times waking me up. I asked to talk to a manager and lo and behold I “was talking to the manager”. Of course, silly me. I told them that they were in fact in violation of the federal do not call list and hung up. I then called back and asked to speak to the owner or manager. Both of whom were out. So the receptionist offered to take my name and number down. I told them that their calling practices were indeed in violation of the Do-Not-Call list and she said that their list “isn’t always up to date” and was happy to get my name and number and they’d remove me. I said no and said I had just reported them so maybe they should now go through their WHOLE LIST to see who I might be and whom they shouldn’t be calling. Here’s where I filed the complaint: [Complain](https://www.donotcall.gov/Complain/ComplainCheck.aspx) I’ve never gotten any follow-up but it made me feel better. ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-on-the-do-not-call-list-but-they-wont-stop-calling/252813/16 "2004-06-30T19:04:16Z")
Thanks- I filed a complaint using your link.