Ever since it was implemented in 2004, more than 200 million numbers have been added to the National Do Not Call Registry in an attempt to limit calls by telemarketers. But a report by ‘Today’ claims some scammers are ignoring the list and calling anyway.

Officials say there were 600,000 more telemarketer complaints last year and that the Federal Trade Commission intends to crack down. “FTC has seen an uptick in the number of Do Not Call complaints and we are doing everything we can to put an end to those illegal telemarketing operations,” said Robert Anguizola, a Federal Trade Commission representative.

“They’re irritating,” said Jim Bigham, a stay-at-home dad who receives telemarketing calls on almost a daily basis. “They just won’t stop calling. We are on the ‘Do Not Call list.’ It’s not working very well.”

According to how the ‘Do Not Call’ list works, if you sign up, it’s illegal for telemarketers to harass you. By law, they’re only able to place calls to numbers on the list if they receive written consent.

Still, that hasn’t stopped some companies from making unsolicited calls. The federal government has sued 85 telemarketers who broke the law and collected $68 million in penalties since 2004.

To sign up for the National Do Not Call Registry, go here and verify your registration here. To file a complaint against a telemarketer who calls you after signing up, go here.

 

 

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