| Comment Number: | OL-112475 |
| Received: | 12/29/2004 4:01:43 PM |
| Organization: | |
| Commenter: | Jordan |
| State: | AZ |
| Subject: | Trade Regulation Rule on Telemarketing Sales |
| Title: | Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Request for Comment |
| CFR Citation: | 16 CFR Part 310 |
| No Attachments |
Comments:
The FTC should not change its rules to make pre-recorded sales calls a more viable option for telemarketers. The *most* frustrating call to receive is one during which you have no opportunity to say "Thank you, but no and please do not call again." Pre-recorded calls generally do not offer that opportunity; I'm exposed to an unwanted interruption with no opportunity to avoid future interruptions. It isn't as if I've made an affirmative decision to accept pre-recorded calls from companies I've done business with. I'm never asked -- when supplying my phone number on a warranty card, merchandise return slip, etc. -- whether I would like to opt-out of pre-recorded messages. In the course of normal business transactions where I feel compelled to provide a phone number, I am also -- without explicit permission -- setting myself up for a pre-recorded sales pitch. I hoped that the Do Not Call Registry would solve this problem; unfortunately, it hasn't. I still receive pre-recorded messages from businesses with which I've had interaction AND with no opportunity during the pre-recorded message to say "no thanks." We need tighter restrictions on telemarketers, not fewer. My home is my castle...unless I need to complete a warranty card and include a phone number; then, I'm subject to the frustrating irritation of being at the mercy of a machine.