The National Do Not Call Registry is designed to stop unwanted sales calls from real companies that follow the law. It’s free to register your home or cell phone number. The Registry is a list that tells registered telemarketers what numbers not to call — but it doesn’t block calls. So being on the Registry won’t stop calls from scammers making illegal calls. Read about blocking unwanted calls to find out what to do about them. If you answer one of these calls, hang up and report the call to the FTC.
If you register your number at DoNotCall.gov, you’ll get an email with a link you have to click on within 72 hours to complete your registration. How long will it take for sales calls to stop?Your phone number should show up on the Registry the next day, but it can take up to 31 days for sales calls to stop. To check whether your number is on the Registry, go to DoNotCall.gov or call 1-888-382-1222 from that number. Will my registration expire?No, your registration will never expire. The FTC will only remove your number from the Registry if it’s disconnected and reassigned, or if you ask to remove it. Can I add my cell phone number to the Do Not Call Registry?Yes. What the Registry Doesn’t DoWill the Registry stop all unwanted calls?No. The Do Not Call Registry stops unwanted sales calls — live calls or robocalls — from real companies that follow the law. The Registry is a list that tells registered telemarketers what numbers not to call — it doesn’t block calls. So being on the Registry won’t stop calls from scammers making illegal calls. One reason people get a lot of unwanted calls is because it’s easy and cheap for scammers to call people anywhere in the world. To get fewer unwanted calls, look into call-blocking and call-labeling services. There are different call-blocking and call-labeling options for cell phones, traditional landlines, and home phones that make calls over the internet (VoIP). You’ll find a list of some call-blocking and call-labeling apps for cell phones at ctia.org, a website for the U.S. wireless communications industry. For company-specific information about blocking calls on landlines and phones that use the internet, go to the FCC’s Call Blocking Resources. Can a company still call me with a sales pitch?Companies can call you if you’ve recently done business with them, or if you’ve given them written permission to call. But if you ask them not to call you, they have to stop. Be sure to write down the date you asked them to stop. Are any other types of calls still allowed under FTC rules if I’m on the Registry?The rules allow
What about robocalls?If a robocall — a call that plays a recorded message — is selling something, it’s illegal unless the company trying to sell you something has written permission, directly from you, to call you that way. So if you haven’t given the company permission, and the robocall isn’t purely informational — like your cable company confirming a service appointment — the call is illegal and probably a scam. That’s true whether your number is on the Registry or not. If you get an illegal robocall, hang up. Don’t press buttons to be taken off a call list or to talk to a live person. It might lead to more unwanted calls. Instead, report it to the FTC. Learn more about robocalls at ftc.gov/robocalls. Report Unwanted CallsWhere do I report an unwanted call?If you didn’t lose money and just want to report a call, use the streamlined reporting form at DoNotCall.gov. If you’ve lost money to a phone scam, or if you have information about the company or scammer who called you, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. When you report a call, include
The FTC also takes the phone numbers that you report calling you and releases them each business day to help telecommunications carriers and other industry partners that are working on call-blocking and call-labeling solutions. What’s the penalty if a company illegally calls numbers on the Registry?Companies that illegally call numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry or place an illegal robocall can currently be fined up to $50,120 per call. I think a scammer faked the number I see on my caller ID. Do I still report it?Technology has made it easy for scammers to fake or “spoof” caller ID information, so the number you’re reporting might not be the caller’s real number. But sometimes, the FTC and other law enforcement agencies can still trace the call based on the information you give. Your report also helps because the FTC analyzes report data and trends to identify illegal callers based on calling patterns. We also use additional information you report, like any number you’re told to call back, to track down scammers. Learn more about common phone scams. To get fewer unwanted calls, look into call-blocking and call-labeling solutions. What is the FTC doing to stop illegal calls?The FTC has sued hundreds of companies and people behind unwanted calls. As a result, telemarketers who made illegal calls have paid more than $290 million dollars in judgments. And the FTC has stopped people responsible for billions of robocalls. Read about recent FTC cases and other robocall-related actions in the FTC’s press releases. The FTC also works with other law enforcement agencies and encourages industry efforts to combat robocalls and caller ID spoofing. The FTC has also led initiatives to develop technology-based solutions, including a series of robocall contests that challenged tech experts to design tools that block robocalls and help investigators track down and stop robocallers. What do businesses and sellers need to know?Generally, businesses and organizations who sell goods and services over the phone must download the Registry and remove numbers listed on the Registry from their calling lists. To get access to the Registry, they have to first register with the FTC. It’s illegal for anyone to use the Registry for any purpose other than preventing telemarketing calls to the telephone numbers on the Registry. Read the FTC’s Q&A for telemarketers and sellers. Registration QuestionsAre cell phones treated differently from home phones on the Do Not Call Registry?No. You register a cell phone number the same way you do any other number. There’s no difference between cell phone and home phone numbers once they’re listed on the Registry. Someone called and offered to put my name on the Registry. Should I let them?No. It’s free and easy to register yourself at DoNotCall.gov or by calling 1-888-382-1222 from the phone you want to register (TTY: 1-866-290-4236). What happens if I register more than one number online?You’ll get an email for each number you register online. Open each email and click on the link in it within 72 hours to register each number. You’ll be able to register up to three numbers at a time online. To register more phone numbers, just go through the registration process again. If you want to register your number by calling the toll-free number, you’ll have to call from each phone number you want to register. Can I register my business phone number or a fax number?The Registry is for personal phone numbers. Business phone numbers and fax lines are not covered. Can I take my number off the Registry?Yes. To remove your number, call 1-888-382-1222 from the phone you want to remove. Your number will be off the Registry the next day. Businesses and organizations have to update their telemarketing lists within 31 days. If I register, how will the FTC use my information?The FTC stores your phone number so telemarketers can remove it from their call lists. If you register at DoNotCall.gov, we also collect your email address to confirm your registration. We store your email address securely, separate from your phone number, and never share it with telemarketers. For more information about the privacy of your information, please see the FTC privacy policy. When I called to register, a message said my number could not be verified. What should I do?If the automated phone system can’t verify your number, you’ll need to register at DoNotCall.gov. When I called to register, a message said the number I was calling from didn’t match the number I entered. What should I do?To register, you must call from the phone you want to register. People in certain communities — such as senior living centers — have phone numbers that are hidden and can’t be verified by the FTC’s automated system. If that’s the case, you’ll need to register at DoNotCall.gov. I moved and got a new phone number. Do I need to register the new number?Yes. Do I need to take my old phone number off the list when I get a new number?No. The system removes numbers automatically when they’re disconnected and reassigned. What happens if my phone number is disconnected but then reconnected?If your number is disconnected and then reconnected, you might need to register your number again. To verify that your number is on the Registry, go to DoNotCall.gov or call 1-888-382-1222. If my area code changes or splits, do I need to register my number again?If phone companies change your three-digit area code, you don’t have to register your number again. Your new number will be registered for you during the 90-day period when both the old and new area codes work. Where can I get more information?If you have questions or complaints about the Do Not Call Registry, please contact the FTC by email at [email protected]. Other Telemarketing RulesAre there other rules telemarketers have to follow?Yes, telemarketers have other rules they must follow under the Telemarketing Sales Rule. What telemarketers can’t do Telemarketers
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New Safety Standards Go Into Effect That Will Prevent Child Injury and Death from Dresser Tip-Overs9/30/2023 August 31, 2023 | Press Release
Washington, D.C. – Starting September 1, 2023, furniture manufacturers and retailers must comply with new furniture safety requirements. Clothing storage furniture, such as dressers, must meet stability standards to avoid injury and deaths from furniture tip-overs and include kits to anchor the furniture. The new mandatory requirements are a result of the bipartisan Stop Tip-overs of Unstable, Risky Dressers on Youth (STURDY) Act, which Congress passed in December 2022. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) will enforce the STURDY Act, and CPSC adopted the ASTM F2057-23 standard as a mandatory requirement that will now go into effect on September 1. The STURDY Act came after many years of advocacy from parent-advocates and consumer groups for safer laws. At least 234 people have been killed by furniture tip-overs from 2000 to April 2022. At least three children died from furniture tip-overs this year. Consumer Federation of America (CFA) and Kids In Danger (KID) warn consumers, however, that the mandatory requirements only impact clothing storage furniture made after September 1, 2023. Retailers can still sell clothing storage units made before September 1, even though this furniture may not meet the lifesaving safety guidelines the CPSC adopted. Further, the rule only addresses clothing storage units, such as dressers, but does not impact other unstable furniture or televisions. “Manufacturers and retailers must do the right thing now and only sell clothing storage units that meet these critical safety standards. Business profits are not more important than children’s lives. Children should not endure the fatal consequences of further delay,” says Courtney Griffin, Director of Consumer Product Safety at CFA. “The dangers of unstable furniture have been apparent for years,” stated Nancy Cowles, Executive Director of KID. “Unstable furniture sold during this transition stage will lurk in homes for decades, likely leading to deaths and injuries. All furniture sold now should meet the tough new standard.” “Thanks to the collaborative efforts that led to the STURDY Act becoming law, starting today, manufacturers will finally be required to make dressers and other clothing storage furniture that must pass strong safety and stability tests and come with a furniture anchor,” says Kimberly Amato, Vice Chair of Parents Against Tip-Overs (PAT). “We strongly encourage parents to anchor all furniture with drawers, doors, and shelves to the wall as a secondary safety measure and for added protection from tip-over.” CFA and KID urge consumers and caregivers to mitigate the risk of furniture tip-overs with the following tips:
Washington, D.C. – Today the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) is releasing a new report – “A Surfeit of Real Estate Agents: Industry and Consumer Impacts” – that uses industry sources to document the costs to industry and to consumers of too many residential real estate agents. More than 1.5 million residential agents (including brokers) compete for home sales usually totaling 5 to 6 million annually.
Those costs include:
In examining home sales in three cities– Jacksonville (FL), Minneapolis (MN), and Albuquerque (NM) — the study found that marginal agents (with five or fewer sales a year) received an estimated 25-30 percent of commission income. According to data collected by the industry from Realtors in 2021:
“Without 5-6 percent rates, even fewer agents would survive financially in today’s marketplace,” said Brobeck. “Ironically, relatively high rates attract new entrants into the industry, increasing competition for clients and reducing individual income for all.” The report raises the question of whether the industry should make greater efforts to ensure the competence and commitment of new agents. Such efforts could include more stringent entry requirements and required mentoring of new agents. A future CFA report will address in depth these two issues. Washington, D.C – As summer begins, Consumer Federation of America (CFA) reiterates its yearly alert to off-highway-vehicle (OHV) riders to operate their vehicles with caution. So far in 2023 CFA has documented 201 OHV fatalities, with children under the age of 16 accounting for the most tracked fatalities at approximately 23%.Children under the age of 16 have ranked in the top three age categories of tracked OHV fatalities since 2019. For the past six years, children aged five and under have also accounted for an increasing number of OHV fatalities, growing from five in 2018 to 12 in 2022. So far in 2023, CFA has tracked five fatalities for this age group.
“Year after year, CFA has seen that more children die in OHV-related incidents on July 4 than any other day of the year,” said Courtney Griffin, CFA’s Director of Consumer Product Safety. “We urge all OHV riders to prioritize safety, use proper safety equipment and restraints, never operate on roads, never permit children to operate adult-sized OHV, and never carry more passengers on an OHV than it is designed to carry.” According to data gathered by CFA and its OHV Safety Coalition, OHV fatalities disproportionally occur during summer months and often spike in July. From 2013 through 2022, CFA and the OHV Safety Coalition have documented 793 total deaths during the month of July. CFA data from 2013 through 2022 show that the most fatalities for all people, (children and adults) occurred on July 4. Of the total 70 recorded deaths on July 4th occurring from 2013 through 2022, 17 were children under the age of 16, comprising nearly one quarter of all deaths (24.3%). “All OHVs, even youth models, pose risks,” said Dr. Gary Smith, President of the Child Injury Prevention Alliance. “OHVs are fast, complex machines, and due to their design, they roll over easily. One wrong choice could lead to the emergency department or worse. Children younger than 16 years just aren’t ready for the demands of safe riding, so we encourage parents to find a different activity for their child.” CFA has been working to minimize deaths and injuries from OHVs for decades by petitioning the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to ban adult-size ATVs for children, convening a coalition to prevent OHV road access, compiling fatality information in real time with that coalition, and urging the CPSC to collect annual Recreational Off Highway vehicle (ROV) data among other requests to take steps to reduce OHV deaths and injuries. Just this week, the CPSC voted to make it unlawful for EGL Motors to import or distribute its ATVs in the United States after the company repeatedly failed to comply with federal legal requirements, including failing to ensure ATVs that obtain speeds permitted only for adults are not marketed and sold to youth-aged riders. CFA urges consumers to take the following seven critical steps to reduce OHV deaths and injuries:
You have only minutes to escape during a fire. Working smoke alarms save lives. More than 2,200 people die each year because of unintentional home fires. Almost two-thirds of these fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke alarms or with smoke alarms that don’t work. A smoke alarm’s warning can cut the risk of dying from a fire in your home by almost half.
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