HOW TO DETER TELEPHONE, E-MAIL, & MAIL MARKETING

The following is summarized from the websites of the Federal Trade Commission (www.ftc.gov/) and the Direct Marketing Association (www.the-dma.org/).

Connecticut residents can reduce or eliminate unwanted consumer marketing solicitations by having their names removed from telephone, e-mail, and mail marketing lists.

GETTING YOUR NAME REMOVED FROM TELEMARKETING LISTS

      1) NATIONAL DO NOT CALL REGISTRY

• Connecticut has adopted the National Do Not Call Registry in place of the state do not call list which is no longer in operation. Connecticut consumers who already signed up for the state list do not need to re-register to have the protections of both federal and state law. Consumers who want to place their home or mobile phone numbers on the national registry can do so online. They can also register by phone. Registration is free.

• Federal enforcement of the National Do Not Call Registry began October 1, 2003.  Consumers who register will notice a drop in telemarketing calls within three months of the date they register.

• As of September 2003, telemarketers have access to the registry and must check the list at least once every 90 days. As of October 2003, it is illegal for most telemarketers to call a number listed on the registry. 

• NOTE: The Do-Not-Call Improvement Act of 2007, which became law as of February 2008, allows a consumer's phone number to stay in the registry permanently, unless it is changed or taken out. Details are posted on the FTC website: http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2008/04/dncfyi.shtm

• Further information about the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) amendments and the "do not call" registry is available at www.ftc.gov/donotcall.

      2) TELEPHONE PREFERENCE SERVICE

• The Direct Marketing Association’s Telephone Preference Service (TPS) (www.the-dma.org/government/teleservicefactsheet.shtml) is also available for consumers who want to receive fewer unsolicited telemarketing calls. Requests to be put on a "do-not-call" list can be sent by e-mail through DMA's Web site or by writing to: Telephone Preference Service, P.O. Box 1559, Carmel, NY 10512. Requests to TPS must include name, address, and phone number with area code. If you get a new phone number, it must be registered with TPS. Once your name and phone number are placed on the "do-not-call file", the number of unsolicited calls you receive will begin to decrease after about three months.

      3) DO NOT CALL: INDIVIDUAL REQUEST

• If consumers do not register with any of the above services, they can still can limit the calls they receive by telling telemarketers to put them on their company's own "do not call" list.  If you receive a computerized call from a company you do not wish to hear from again, listen to the automated message to obtain the telemarketer's name and address or phone number.  Then, contact the company directly and ask to be placed on the company's do-not-call list.

GETTING YOUR NAME REMOVED FROM MAILING LISTS

DIRECT MAIL
DMA also has a Mail Preference Service (MPS) (www.dmachoice.org/) for consumers who want to "opt-out" of national mailing lists. Requests to be removed from mailing lists can be sent by e-mail through DMA's Web site or by writing to: Mail Preference Service, P.O. Box 282, Carmel, NY 10512. Requests to MPS must include name, address, and phone number with area code. If you move, you must register your new address with MPS. Once your name and address are placed on the "do-not-mail file", the number of unsolicited e-mails you receive will begin to decrease after about three months. The file is updated monthly and distributed quarterly with your name and address remaining on file for five years. As with e-mail, you will no longer receive unsolicited mailings from DMA members; however, you may continue to receive mailings from advertisers or groups who are not DMA members.

CATALOGS
There is also a free service called Catalog Choice that will allow people to stop mailings of catalogs they no longer want to receive. Consumers fill out an online registration form to indicate which catalog titles they wish to discontinue and mailings will stop after a ten-week period to process requests. Further information can be found at the website: www.catalogchoice.org/

GETTING YOUR NAME REMOVED FROM E-MAIL LISTS

The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) has an E-Mail Preference Service (e-MPS) (www.dmachoice.org/) for consumers who want to "opt-out" of national e-mail lists. Requests to be removed from e-mail lists can be sent by e-mail through DMA's Web site. The number of unsolicited e-mails will begin to decrease about two months after your e-mail address is entered onto the e-MPS file. Once on the list, you will no longer receive unsolicited e-mail from DMA members; however, you may continue to receive e-mails from advertisers or groups who are not DMA members. DMA does not provide marketers with consumer e-mail lists.

COST

No fee for FTC National "Do Not Call" registry or for Catalog Choice service; Nominal fee for registering for DMA’s Mail Preference Service and Telephone Preference Service online

WHO IS ELIGIBLE

No restrictions for FTC or DMA lists

TO FIND PROVIDERS IN CONNECTICUT'S COMMUNITY RESOURCES DATABASE:
Search by service name: Unsolicited Advertising Opt Out Assistance

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SOURCES: Direct Marketing Association website; Federal Trade Commission website; Catalog Choice website
PREPARED BY: 211/pt
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: March2012