 Among
the bills I have sponsored -- and which have become law -- are
measures to better protect the interests of American consumers.
From the Indian Arts and Crafts Act, which helps consumers distinguish
genuine works in the Southwest’s important Indian art market,
to the Identity Theft Act, which helps innocent consumers put
their finances back in order after their identities have been
stolen and used in the commission of a crime, I have worked to
be a forceful advocate for consumer protection.
Please visit the following links to learn more
about some of the consumer-protection legislation I have written,
and how you can use the provisions of these laws to protect yourself:
 Indian
Arts and Crafts Act
Identity
Theft Act
Telemarketing
Fraud Prevention Act
The Truth about Cell Phones and the Do Not Call Registry
Despite Re-Circulating E-mail, It is Still Not Necessary to Register Cell Phone Numbers
As the number of phone numbers on the National Do Not Call (DNC) Registry surpassed 139 million, the Federal Trade Commission today reiterated that despite the claims made in e-mails circulating on the Internet, consumers should not be concerned that their cell phone numbers will be released to telemarketers at any time in the near future. In addition, according to the agency, it is not necessary to register cell phone numbers on the DNC Registry to be protected from most telemarketing calls to cell phones.
The truth about cell phones and the DNC Registry is:
- Contrary to the e-mail, cell phone numbers are NOT being released to telemarketers, and you will NOT soon be getting telemarketing calls on your cell phone.
- There is NO deadline by which you must register your cell phone number on the Registry.
- Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations prohibit telemarketers from using automated dialers to call cell phone numbers. Automated dialers are standard in the industry, so most telemarketers are barred from calling consumers on their cell phones without their consent.
- The national associations representing telemarketers have stated that their clients do not intend to start calling consumers’ cell phones.
- There is only ONE DNC Registry. There is no separate registry for cell phones.
- The DNC Registry accepts registrations from both cell phones and land lines. You must call from the phone number that you want to register. If you register online, you must respond to a confirmation e-mail.
- While the telecommunications industry has been discussing the possibility of creating a wireless 411 directory, according to the FCC, even if a wireless 411 directory is established, most telemarketing calls to cell phones would still be illegal, regardless of whether the number is listed on the federal government’s National Do Not Call Registry.
For More Information
To learn more about the National DNC Registry and the rules that enforce it, visit the FTC at www.ftc.gov or the FCC at www.fcc.gov. For more information about a planned “wireless 411” directory, visit http://www.qsent.com/wireless411.
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