How Do I Register on the Do Not Call List?

Edited by Hannah Locklear

Your 8:00 pm dinner date is abruptly interrupted by an unknown caller. You excuse yourself to take the call. The insurance company sales representative is annoyingly persistent. Your voice betrays the irritation you are trying to hide, so you hang up. "This has got to stop!" you tell yourself.

Sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone. Many consumers' struggles at the hands of persistent telemarketers. Unfortunately, it is legal for companies to call you at home between 8:00 am and 9:00 pm unless you register on the Do Not Call List.

But how can you get into that registry? How many phone numbers can you enter? And what happens if telemarketers won't stop? Keep reading to find out.

Sued for debt? Settle the debt before going to court.

What is the Do Not Call Registry?

The federal government keeps a National Do Not Call Registry database containing phone numbers of individuals and families who do not want telemarketers to contact them. It is free to register.

Consumers can choose whether they want to be on the list. You must request registration before the registry can list your number.

How does the registry work?

The National Do Not Call List forbids most telemarketers from calling registered numbers. You can list any phone number without disclosing whether they are home or mobile.

It takes a day for the number you submit to appear on the list and an additional 31 days until telemarketers must remove you from their call list.

The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) ensures companies adhere to consumers' wishes. The registry’s primary goal is to give consumers peace of mind. Any number you place in the registry may not receive calls from:

• Telemarketers calling to solicit sales of goods/services from within or outside the country.
• Third-party telemarketers calling on behalf of charitable organizations.
• People who are surveying while also selling their products/services.

Remember that the FTC does not block calls. It lists registered numbers to tell actual businesses which numbers they cannot call. Scammers typically do not play by the rules and can contact you despite having listed your number on the do not call registry. If you suspect a scam, you can block the number yourself and report them to the FTC.

Robocalls employed to sell you anything are also illegal if you have not given the company permission to call.

The Do Not Call List registry does not cover the following calls:

• Political calls.
• Charities (unless they are using third-party telemarketers).
• Purely survey calls.
• Companies you have given written permission to call you.
• Companies with which you are currently in a business relationship.
• Companies you have done business with within the last 18 months.
• Informational calls.
• Debt collection calls.

You may still receive calls from the above entities after registering on the Do Not Call list.

Stop debt collection calls and letters.

How to register on the Do Not Call List

You have two options:

• Call 888-382-1222 (TTY: 866-290-4326) using the number you wish to register.
• Register online at donotcall.gov. You must provide an email address for verification. Upon receiving the email, click the link to finish the registration. You have 72 hours to verify and complete the registration.

Consumers can enter up to three phone numbers so that you can include your cell and home numbers at the same time.

Your number will appear on the list within 24 hours. Registration does not expire unless you ask to remove your phone number from the list or it gets disconnected or reassigned. In such a situation, you must re-register to keep your number on the do not call list.

Your state may also provide additional resources to stop telemarketers. Here is an example for Pennsylvania.

After registration, telemarketers have 31 days to remove your phone number from their call list. If they keep calling, you can report the violation.

Report persistent telemarketers

You can report stubborn telemarketers to the Fair Trade Commission by visiting the Do Not Call website. Alternatively, call to speak to someone at 888-382-1222 (TTY: 866-290-4236) toll-free.

You will need the company's name or the number that called you. Also, keep a record of the date they called. Your name and address are unnecessary to file a complaint, but you can voluntarily provide them.

The National Do Not Call Registry has been championing consumers' preferences since 2003. The mass registration that followed its creation was a sign that consumers were fed up with telemarketers. You, too, can stop unwanted calls by registering in the Do Not Call List. It is easy. Call from the number you want to protect or go to the DoNotCall website.

For calls from debt collection companies, you need a different solution. For starters, try sending a Debt Validation Letter to prompt the collector to verify your debt before they continue to contact you. Next, use SoloSuit to fight debt collectors in court and win.

What is SoloSuit?

SoloSuit makes it easy to fight debt collectors.

You can use SoloSuit to respond to a debt lawsuit, to send letters to collectors, and even to settle a debt.

SoloSuit's Answer service is a step-by-step web-app that asks you all the necessary questions to complete your Answer. Upon completion, we'll have an attorney review your document and we'll file it for you.

>>Read the FastCompany article: Debt Lawsuits Are Complicated: This Website Makes Them Simpler To Navigate

>>Read the NPR story on SoloSuit. (We can help you in all 50 states.)

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Here's a list of guides for other states.

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