theMediaman.com

First off, thanks to the Toronto Star for the info below. I’ve stopped linking to the site, since their content expires and leaves lots of dead links on my journal entries.

Starting October 1st, 2004, it will be a lot easier to keep telemarketers at bay. While Canada still doesn’t have a US-style National Do-Not-Call list (yet), we are getting assurance that we get put on any individual company’s DNC list.

Next time you get a telemarketer call, ask if you won “The Contest” (not “A Contest”). I always do that, since I figure that contest winner notifications probably sound similar to telemarketers.

Once the telemarketer stop being confused, then ask to be put on their “Do Not Call List”. Starting in a couple of weeks, they MUST issue a registration number as proof that you are on their list. Write it down, along with the company name (make sure to get that) and - Hell - write down the date too. Keep that by your phone.

If they call again (as one particular Duct Cleaning company keeps doing to me), then you can make a formal complaint to the CRTC… but again, make sure you haven’t won a contest!

The American DNC list has 62 million registered users (about 20% of the population). The Marketing Association has a similar list for its 800 corporate members. You can get yourself added to that list by faxing full name, address and number to (416) 441-4062 or online at the Canadian Marketing Association web site.

Starting October 1st, there’s also a longer list of information the telemarketer MUST provide before starting the sales pitch - including the contact phone number. This is going to be funny… they’re going to be talking for thirty seconds before you can tell them to screw off! Also outlawed are Predictive Dialing Devices (PDD’s) that let them dial a bunch of numbers at once, then whoever picks up gets the call. The others get dead air. (Well, not ‘outlawed’, but ‘fewer than 5%’.)

…of course, if you’re feeling really spiteful, hold on to this page - The EGBG Anti-Telemarketing Counterscript (PDF version here). I’ve had a lot of fun with this, and even got someone down to the question on “which toothpaste would you recommend?”