Many people are under the misguided perception that mobile phones are automatically off limits for telemarketing and solicitation calls.

Original Source

Everyone has encountered a telemarketing call. It may be a robocall directing you to vote for some political candidate, or perhaps some local organization seeking donations. But, most people are used to getting those calls on their home land line, not their mobile phones. Telemarketers are increasingly targeting mobile phone numbers, so here is what you need to do to stop–or at least minimize–those annoying calls.

There is a common misconception that mobile phones are somehow inherently protected against telemarketing solicitations. Unfortunately, that is not true.

PrivacyStar, an app available for Android and BlackBerry smart phones that lets users report violations of the Do Not Call list to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has compiled stats from the over 200,000 complaints it has logged to date. According to PrivacyStar, more than half of the users who have used the app to lodge complaints never registered for the Do Not Call List in the first place.

There are two easy ways to add you mobile phone number to the FTC Do Not Call registry:

• FTC Website: https://www.donotcall.gov/register/reg.aspx
• Call Directly: 1-888-382-1222

Of course, the Do Not Call list only works for organizations that play by the rules. I have had repeated calls for over a year from some company promising to lower my interest rates on credit cards. It is an automated call and every time I have pressed “1″ to speak with a representative and asked to be removed from the list, the rep has simply hung up and the calls have persisted.

I have also dealt with various entities trying to track down someone that I can only assume is the previous owner of my phone number. Apparently, he has a lot of collectors who are anxious to get in touch with him even though I  have had my phone number for five years.

The Do Not Call list may not work for situations like these, but it will stop the vast majority of the annoying solicitations and telemarketing calls. Don’t make the mistake of assuming that your mobile phone is somehow off limits.

Take the 30 seconds to visit the FTC site or call the Do Not Call registry number and get your mobile phone number added to the list.

Computer Clarity