Picture this: you're sitting down to a quiet meal with your family one evening. Just as you reach for
mashed potatoes phone rings.
It might be your mother calling with news on upcoming family reunion, so you make a mad dash for phone just in time to catch it before answering machine picks up.
As you wipe mashed potatoes off front of your best shirt you hear an unfamiliar voice on line start pitching you about aluminum siding.
You've just experienced what many call "telemarketer hell!"
But, thanks to a new service offered by FTC (Federal Trade Commission), this little scenario should happen much less often in coming year.
Telemarketers may finally face a law they can't bypass when it comes to calling consumers on phone to solicit business.
By harnessing power of Internet to eliminate layers of paperwork and delays, FTC created "National Do Not Call" registry where consumers can register not to receive unsolicited sales calls.
Though law exempts certain political, charitable and other organizations, it does cover professional tele- marketing companies and those calling on behalf of those organizations.
After plan gets fully implemented in October 2003, any company found violating law will face fines of up to $11,000 per call.
Despite fact registry does not eliminate all unsolicited calls, it does seem a wise move to sign up (unless you enjoy chatting with telemarketers over your mashed potatoes).
