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s 352.746 A3mdn 2003 /^^f \ I - i * f STflTF DOCUMENTS COLLECTION -'" -y 2003 MONTANA SIAlt LibKARY LHiKrI.Fr-Nl?A.^^^/EI-O•6ltThAMA^VER.qro^ Information www.discoveringmontana.com ConsumerProtectionOffice(406)444-4500 6/27/2003 MONTANASTATELI, 3 0864 1002 1252 4 Starting July of 2003 To Join the Federal Do-Not-Call List Dial 1-888-382-1222 TTY 1-866-290-4236 From the Phone Number you Want to Add or by Internet at WWW denote gov all . . If you join the Federal List, you will Automatically be placed on the State List when it Starts in January of 2004. Businesses have 3 months after you join the Federal Do-Not-Call List in which to stop calling you. Enforcement of the Federal List will begin October of 2003. Enforcement of the State List will begin April of 2004. For more information Call the Consumer Protection Office at 444-4500 www.discoveringmontana.com Background TheFederal government hasstruggledwith whethertomakeado-not-call listfor several years. Afternumerousstatespasseddo-not-call lists,theFederal government decidedtocreateanational listtocoveralltelemarketingcallsthatcross state lines. The FederalTradeCommission (FTC), after2yearsofpubliccommentandinputfromallof thestates,proposedchangestotheTelemarketingSalesRules (TSR). InFebruaryof 2003,thesechangestotheTSRwereadoptedandaFederal do-not-call listwascreated. Montana's2003 LegislatureexaminedtheneedforaStatedo-not-calllist. In April,thelegislaturepassedHouseBill424(proposedbyRep. LarryJent). Governor MartzsignedHB424,which authorizestheDepartmentofAdministrationtocreatea Statedo-not-call list. The StateandFederal do-not-call listswill worktogethertocurbtheamountof unsolicitedcallstothoseonthelists. Inthecourseofthenextyear,theFederal and Montanado-not-call listswillboth gointoeffect. Importantdates are listedbelow ^ImportantDates February 13, 2003 CongressapprovestheFederal do-not-call listadministeredbythe FTC. May9,2003 GovernorMartz signedHB 424creatingtheMontanado-not-call list July 1, 2003 Sign-upfortheFederal do-not-call listbegins July 1, 2003 Montana'sHB 424requiresthatrules beadoptedtogovernthe creationofaStatedo-not-call list. TheDepartmentof Administrationwill starttherule-makingprocessatthistime. October 1,2003 EnforcementoftheFederal do-not-call listbegins January 1, 2004 Sign-upfortheStatedo-not-call listbegins. Ifyouarealreadyon theFederal do-not-call list, you will beplacedon the State list automatically. April 1, 2004 Enforcementofthe State Do-Not-Call Listbegins MontanaDo-Not-Call FrequentlyAskedQuestions (ForCitizens) WhatisaDo-Not-CallList? ItisalistofphonenumbersthatcannotbecalledbyTelemarketers. Ifyouplaceyourself on thelists, you willreceivefewertelemarketingcalls. WhatisTelemarketing? In Montana, telemarketingisdefinedas usingthephonetoencouragethepurchaseof, rental of.orinvestmentin, goods,property,orservices. WhyisthereaStateandaFederallist? TheFederal listonlycoverscallsthatcrossstatelines. The State listcovers all telemarketingcallswithin,to, orfromMontana. Ifyou sign uponeitherlist, youwillbe placedontheotheroneaswell (ForExample: SigningupfortheFederalListwill add yournametothe state list). HowMuchdoesitCosttoSign-uptotheDo-Not-CallLists.? Itis freeto sign-upontheDo-Not-Call Lists. HowDoISign-uptotheFederalDo-Not-CallList? There aretwowaysto sign up. Youcancall 1-888-382-1222 (TTY 1-866-290-4236) fromthephonenumberyouwish toadd. (Forexample, toaddyourhomephonenumber you mustcall using yourhometelephone). Youcan addupto3 numbersbyusingthe internetatwww.donotcall.gov. Youcannotsign upbywritingaletter. Theonly informationcollectedis yourphonenumberandthedate youcalled. Youwillbesigned upforfive years. HowDo ISign-upfortheStateDo-Not-CallList? The Statelistwill notstartits sign-upuntilJanuaryof2004. Ifyou sign-uptotheFederal list, you will be automaticallyplacedontheStatelistas soon asitstarts. Youwillnot havetodoanythingelse. DoIhavetoSign-upfortheFederalDo-Not-CallListAsWell? Ifyou sign-upforoneofthelists, youwill automaticallybeplacedontheother. (So signingupfortheFederal List automaticallyputs you on the StateList) AfterISign-up,HowLongCanTelemarketersstill CallMe? Telemarketers will be abletocall you for3 monthsafteryou sign up. Thesooneryou sign up, thesooneryourcallswill decrease. ArePolitical AdsandSurveyscovered bytheDo-Not-CallLists? No, political adsandsurveys arenotcoveredbytheDo-Not-Call list. You will still receive them. AreThereSomeTelemarketersthatCanStill CallMe? Yes, sometelemarketers will still be abletocall: (forexample) 1.Telemarketers youhaveauthorizedtocall. 2. Telemarketerswith abusinesscontacttoyouwithinthelast 180days. 3. Telemarketersthatarecallingfromtheirown home. 4. Professionals licensedbytheStatecancall youtoset upappointments AreCharities CoveredbytheDo-Not-Call Lists? Charities andnon-profitscan stillcall you. Ifyouwishnottobecalledbythem, you mustrequestthattheyputyouontheirDo-Not-Call List. Ifyouaskthemto,theymust doso. HowDoIFileaComplaint,ifaTelemarketerStillCallsMe? Ifyoudon'tknowwheretheyarecallingfrom,call theFTC at 1-888-382-1222. Ifyou know theyarecallingfromMontana,call theMontanaConsumerProtection Office at 1-406-444-4500. How DoIFilea Complaint,ifIThinkaTelemarketerhasStolenMyMoney? CalltheConsumerProtectionOfficeat 1-406-444-4500andfileacomplaint. What ifIwantmyNameRemovedfromtheDo-Not-CallList? Call 1-888-382-1222andfollowtheinstructionsprovided. IsEmailorJunkMail Covered bythisLaw? No,theyarenotcoveredbythis laworanyotherMontanalaw. Formoreinformation aboutEmail orJunkMail gotowww.ftc.gov.