Senate News Update
From Senator Jane Earll
February 5, 2007

Protect Yourself From Telemarketers

It was five years ago that telephones across Pennsylvania began ringing less and less.

Fewer dinners were interrupted, and fewer infants were stirred from noontime naps.  It's been five years since Pennsylvanians began signing up for the Do Not Call list, established by the General Assembly to combat the nuisance and intrusion of telemarketing calls.

We enacted this law after hearing from citizens who were fed up with the hassle and invasion of privacy that resulted from an ever-increasing number of unsolicited commercial phone calls. Act  2002-24 was a way to hang up on aggressive telemarketers.

Judging from the response from consumers, the law has been a success.  However, enrollment on the list only covers a five-year period, so the original registrations are scheduled to expire in July 2007. Due to the expected large volume of people trying to re-register before the deadline, it might be a good idea to do so in advance in order to maintain protected status.

The state has contracted with the nonprofit Direct Marketing Association to maintain the list of consumers who want to avoid telemarketing calls. The association is responsible for updating the list and providing that list to telemarketers on a quarterly basis.  (Note that a new enrollment will not become active until the following quarterly update.  But this short wait is worth the future peace of mind.)

Every telemarketer that calls consumers in Pennsylvania is required to purchase the list from the list administrator. The telemarketer must then remove every name on the "Do Not Call" list from their calling lists within 30 days of receiving the list.  A violation of the law carries a civil penalty of up to $1,000. The penalty increases to $3,000 if the person contacted is age 60 or older.

The state Attorney General's Office has information and an enrollment form at www.nocallsplease.com.  You can also call a toll-free hotline at 1-888-777-3406.  The site also provides links to the national Do Not Call list.

The only information you have to provide is your name, address and phone number. Don't forget to register your cell phone, too.

The Do Not Call law has helped Pennsylvanians regain a little peace and privacy in their homes. In a free market society, we expect a certain amount of advertising and sales pitches. But, at home, we have an expectation of privacy.

If you registered for the Do Not Call list the in the first round and you like the results, take a few minutes to sign up again before July.  If you haven't signed up in the past, visit the Attorney General's web site or call the hotline and check it out.

As always, if you have questions on this or any state government matter, please do not hesitate to call my office at 814-453-2515.