I received an interesting email recently about cell phone numbers going
public. That age old warning of
telemarketers
calling.
Here is the email as I
received it..
This only takes a few seconds
and it should save you time and money.
REMEMBER: Cell Phone Numbers Go
Public this week.
REMINDER...
all cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies
tomorrow and you will start to receive sale calls.
...
YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS
To prevent this, call
the following number from your cell phone: 888-382-1222.
It is the National DO NOT CALL list. It will only take a
minute of your time.
It blocks your number for five (5) years.
You must call from the cell phone number you want to have blocked.
You cannot call from a different phone number.
HELP
OTHERS BY PASSING THIS ON TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS.. It takes about 20 seconds.
Pretty
Scarey huh?
This email apparantly has been circulating for quite a few
years now. I went to Snopes - www.snopes.com - and checked to
see what the real truth was.
According
to the article:
There
is a grain of truth in the message making it believable, but it's wrong
on two counts:
Not all cell phone numbers will be listed in the national directory
planned for 2006.
And telemarketers will not have access to the
directory.
It is illegal for marketers using auto-dialers ~ and most do ~ to call
wireless phone numbers.
Here's
the truth:
A national directory will be compiled, but numbers will be included on
an opt-in basis.
If a cell phone subscriber does nothing, the number will not
be listed. when the directory is ready,
it will be available only as part of the existing 411
directory service, accessed by calling in and asking for a specific
number.
It will not be published in a book or on the Internet. And it
will not be sold to telemarketers.
Cell phone subscribers can list their numbers on the do-not-call
registry if they choose,
but there is no deadline to hget on the list, as the e-mail messages
now circulating suggest.
You can read the snopes article here.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/cell411.asp
I'm including a link to the FTC website concerning this issue.
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2005/04/dnc.shtm
I went ahead and registered my cell phone just because I
could. You just never know when they are going to change the
rules on ya.
;)
;)
Bob... this turns out to be false... check out this link: "linky, link"