Date Last Reviewed:
05/29/2008
The Federal Trade Commission has adopted a regulation for consumers to list their residential telephone numbers if they do not wish to receive calls from most telemarketers.
College and university students living in campus housing may list their campus numbers on the registry. The students must list their own number - Northern Illinois University cannot list on behalf of the student.
Cell phone numbers can also be registered. An e-mail rumor claims there was a deadline of December 15, 2004 for registering cell phones but this is false. There is no deadline.
Registration is free and can be done online at www.donotcall.gov or by calling 1-888-382-1222 from the phone you want to register. The number will remain in the registry for five years unless removed. It is still unclear how campus student numbers may be removed from the registry as students move.
This ruling does not apply to telecommunications carriers, airlines, banks, insurance companies operating under state regulations, and non-profit organizations such as educational institutions. However, it does apply to for-profit companies that are hired to telemarket on their behalf.
More information is available online at www.donotcall.gov.