So other than the annoyance factor, why does this particular telemarketing call deserve to be in the Marketing Hall of Shame?

First, the call source disregards the national Do Not Call list. Any and every phone number out there can be one of targeted numbers, despite the fact that it’s illegal for telemarketers to bother people on the Do Not Call list. Of course, the spoofed numbers hide the real source of the calls, so disgruntled recipients of the call can’t call back and complain, or even report the number with any chance of the government catching the caller.

Second, the call is not targeted at people who actually have car warranties, or even people who actually have CARS. It’s a blanket telemarketing attempt, conducted nationwide, without regard for who the call recipients are. The “second and final” notice is a scare tactic that isn’t remotely accurate. Imagine the frustration of the public-transit riders out there who get calls about the expiring warranties on their nonexistent cars! These calls are so widespread and so annoying that they’ve generated articles on multiple websites and investigation from multiple state governments. That’s quite a broad scope for a telemarketing scam.

Third, the calls are repeated relentlessly. Some people on consumer complaint websites comment that they’ve received this call dozens of times, often in the same day. I’ve personally received this call on my cell phone about once a week for the past few months.

Fourth, if the recipient stays on the line and speaks to a live person in an effort to clear up the apparent confusion, their requests to be removed from the call list tend to be ignored. Again, many people on consumer complaint sites say that they’ve asked to stop receiving the calls, but despite assurances that they will be removed from the calling lists, the calls continued.

Fifth, for those who actually purchased the extended warranty offered in the calls, the coverage turned out to be less than ideal. The telemarketers don’t represent the car manufacturers, and getting reimbursed for car repairs can be difficult, according to the Iowa Attorney General’s office (as quoted in the New York Times).

Last, for some of these telemarketing calls, there’s more than just annoyance at stake. Some of these car warranty calls are actually attempts to steal the identities and information of the call recipients. The callers use the same “final notice” scare tactics to trick people into giving up key personal information. So speaking to the callers can lead to more than just a useless car warranty; it can lead to a credit and identity nightmare.

What is being done to handle this particular telemarketing scourge? According to the New York Times, several state attorney generals are looking into the companies behind the calls in an effort to investigate legal wrongdoing (such as violations of the Do Not Call list) and whether the companies and warranties themselves are legitimate. Telling people that their warranties are near expiration might also be deceptive and misleading sales practices which justify legal action (this seems like a no-brainer, but the states must conduct their due diligence in looking into this case).

In the meantime, if you get a call that starts with “This is your second and final notice,” hang up. You might get more of them, and you might get annoyed by them, but you can do your part to fight back. Call your state’s attorney general office and complain. Go to the Do Not Call website and file a complaint. Make some noise, and the authorities will do what they can to make the calls stop.

To the companies behind the calls, nice job! You’ve become the first telemarketers in Privacy Council’s Marketing Hall of Shame.

Sources for this article: The New York Times, Caller Complaints, The Internet Patrol, Autoblog

Photo source: www.freedigitalphotos.net

“Hello. I’m calling for John McCain and the RNC because you need to know that Barack Obama has worked closely with domestic terrorist Bill Ayers, whose organization bombed the U.S. Capitol, the Pentagon, a judge’s home and killed Americans. And Democrats will enact an extreme leftist agenda if they take control of Washington. Barack Obama and his Democratic allies lack the judgment to lead our country. This call was paid for by McCain-Palin 2008 and the Republican National Committee at 202-863-8500.”

Here is the robocall’s full audio.

This is just one of the thousands of Political Robocalls from both parties that have been flooding phone lines in battleground states. According to a recent report by CNN, some voters are receiving as many as a dozen automated calls per day.

Some states, like Maine, are cracking down, claiming this is a violation of personal privacy.

According to Wikipedia, even those who have opted into the National Do Not Call Registry may still receive these calls, as political parties are exempt from the rules set forth during the formation of this registry.

Are these calls really effective, and why should we have to put up with this violation of our personal privacy?

Comment below to join the petition.

Wrong. Let’s go through some of the most common misconceptions of the Do Not Call Registry, and what the reality is:

Misconception #1 – Being on the list means no one can call you to sell you anything.

The reality – The list doesn’t include calls from political organizations, charities, telephone surveys, companies that you have a business relationship with (i.e., you bought something from them recently), and companies that you have already given permission (in writing) to call you.

Misconception #2 - You can register just home phones and landlines, not cell phones.

The reality – You can register any number, including cell phones, with the Do Not Call Registry. There is an email that has been making the rounds for years that insists a cell phone database is about to be released to telemarketers, but this email is a hoax. You are not about to be inundated with telemarketing calls to your cell phone, as it is against FCC regulations for automated dialers (which most telemarketers use) to dial cell phone numbers. Still, if you choose to register your cell number with the Do Not Call Registry, you may do that.

Misconception #3 – The same day that you register your number, the calls must stop.

The reality – It may take up to 31 days for telemarketers to update their systems and stop calling you.

Misconception #4 – Even if a telemarketer calls me without permission, they won’t be penalized. 

The reality – If you receive a call from a telemarketer more than 31 days after signing up for the Do Not Call Registry, and you don’t think the telemarketer is included in the list of permitted callers, then you can file a complaint with the Registry on their web page. If a telemarketer is found to be in violation of the rules, they will be penalized with a hefty fine, up to $11,000 per violation.

Misconception #5 – If you add your number to the Do Not Call Registry, the privacy of your information will be compromised.

The reality – Your number is placed in the registry solely for telemarketers to use in updating their own do-not-call records every 31 days. Phone numbers may also be shared with law enforcement officials, but other than that, all information is stored securely and not shared with anyone else. 

Misconception #6 – Your registration will expire after 5 years.

The reality – Pending final Congressional approval to make the list permanent, your number won’t be dropped from the list after a 5-year period (or any other period).

Misconception #7 – There is a deadline for registering your number.

The reality – There is no deadline for adding your number to the National Do Not Call Registry. You can do it at any time.

To learn more about the National Do Not Call Registry, visit the FAQ page.

If you are a business that uses telemarketing techniques, you should make sure that you are in compliance with the National Do Not Call Registry guidelines. The registry’s website has some information for businesses that you can use to learn more, such as the cost for accessing the Do Not Call database (the first five area codes are free), the potential penalties for violations, and the specifics about what calls are exempt from the regulations.

Sources: www.donotcall.gov, www.ftc.gov, www.fcc.gov, www.snopes.com