Press release from Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller’s office:
Next deadline to register for Indiana’s Do Not Call list is May 18
Do Not Call registry protects Hoosiers from unwanted telemarketing calls and potential scammers
(INDIANAPOLIS) – Attorney General Greg Zoeller is reminding Hoosiers that the next deadline to register for the state’s Do Not Call list is Tuesday, May 18. Phone numbers placed on the list by 11:59 PM (EDT) May 18 will begin receiving benefits of the law starting July 1, 2010.
Currently more than 1.7 million phone numbers are registered on the state’s list. Hoosiers are encouraged to add their residential phone numbers as another tool to prevent frauds and scams. Hoosiers on the Do Not Call list not only receive fewer unwanted telemarketing calls – they are helping to protect themselves and others from potential scams.
“Our telephone privacy laws in Indiana have a reputation among telemarketers as being the toughest in the nation. This is a reputation we are proud of because it means the word is out and Hoosiers are receiving far fewer unwanted calls than residents in many other states,” Zoeller said. “However, thousands of Hoosiers have not signed up but it’s not because they welcome telemarketing calls, rather they may not be aware of the list or its benefits. It is our duty to encourage all Hoosiers to register and get them on the list.”
Individuals who are on the Do Not Call list and receive an unwanted telemarketing call can submit a complaint to the Attorney General’s office. These complaints help the office bring lawsuits against companies who violate Indiana law. The number of consumer complaints associated with each lawsuit is a factor for determining the monetary value of each settlement the Attorney General’s office reaches with companies found to be violating Indiana’s telephone privacy laws.
Indiana law also forbids the use of autodialers to deliver pre-recorded messages without a live operator obtaining consent to deliver the message. These calls are often referred to as “robo-calls.” The Attorney General’s telephone privacy division responds to consumer complaints related to possible Do Not Call, Unsolicited Fax and Autodialer violations.
Enforcement efforts of Indiana’s Autodialer law by the Attorney General’s Telephone Privacy Division recently resulted in a $30,000 settlement with Association Health Care Management, Inc. of Houston, Texas. The company was responsible for hundreds of illegal robo-calls to individuals and businesses in St. Joseph County and four other counties. Association Health Care Management has paid the settlement which goes directly to support the diligent enforcement of Indiana’s telephone privacy laws by the Attorney General’s office.
Registration on the Do Not Call list is free. Re-registering on the list is not necessary if you retain the same phone number.
In 2009, the Attorney General’s office settled or obtained judgments in 39 cases involving violations of state telephone privacy laws.
To register a residential phone number or confirm a number is registered, visit www.IndianaConsumer.com or call 1-888-834-9969 24-hours a day, 7-days a week. Click here to file a complaint against an illegal telemarketing call or robo-call.
To receive early warnings about new scams, sign up to receive electronic fraud alerts from the Attorney General’s office.