The report is: “8 million Do Not Call list complaints, but FTC only took action 83 times”
“Do not call.” It’s a service more than 209 million consumers signed up for hoping telemarketing calls would stop, but some say the list just isn’t working.
The FTC admits it gets thousands of complaints a day about the Do Not Call list. We get them here at NewsChannel 5 too.
So, what’s happening with all these reported problems with the Do Not Call list?
“I just constantly get hammered by telemarketers,” Don Brandow said. “They won’t take no for an answer, and they will not quit,” Brandow said.
Don Brandow is so fed up, he quit answering his phone.
“We’ve been terrorized in our own home until we can’t take it anymore. We’re no longer answering our calls. Friend, foe or other leave a message,” Brandow recorded on his answering machine.
FTC is hearing from consumers about the Do Not Call list
On average, a million complaints are filed with the FTC every year. More than 8 million in all, but the FTC’s records show they only took action 83 times. Originally, we reported 78 times. The Federal Trade Commission called NewsChannel 5 to let us know their website did not have the most up to date information and they are now working on fixing that issue.
“It’s not working at all,” Brandow said.
The Federal Trade Commission is sending a different message than some consumers.
“I think the Do Not Call list has been very effective,” William Maxson of the Federal Trade Commission said.
The FTC has gone after big name violators like DIRECTV, Dish Network, and Columbia House collecting more than $500 million in fines.
“We go after the persons or company that makes the most impact, makes the most number of calls,” Maxson said.
FROM: kjrh.com/dpp/money/consumer/8-million-Do-Not-Call-list-complaints-but-FTC-only-took-action-83-times
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“How Bad Guys Try to Trick You; How to Avoid the Traps”
New Digital Spam: How Bad Guys Try to Trick You; How to Avoid the Traps
The latest forms of digital spam include clickjacking, junk apps, bad QR codes, and much more. Here’s what you can do to stay safe.
Like Whack-a-Mole, new forms of digital spam pop up faster than security software can knock them down–and the problem is just getting worse. In fact, according to search engine newcomer Blekko, 1 million new spam pages are created every hour.
At the outset, let me offer my defininition of spam: any kind of unwanted communication delivered by any unknown source. That’s a broader description than many people would make; but much of what’s happening online is not only annoying and a waste of time, but also sometimes injurious and costly.
Here are some of the latest forms of digital spam, together with some steps you can take to avoid them.
Fake News Sites
I recently wrote a story that resonated with readers. As I read through and responded to some of their comments, I saw this one:
“my roomates [sic] aunt makes $83/hr on the laptop. She has been without work for 8 months but last month her pay was $8682 just working on the laptop for a few hours. Read more on this site [URL].”
Really? All that money for just a few hours of work?
Sadly, some people actually fall for this spammy scam, click the link, and end up on a fake news site, which lures them to another page. There, if they hand over their name, phone number, and email address, they can gain access to the spammer’s “incredible work-at-home opportunity.” But you should never offer your personal information to any source you’re not absolutely sure can be trusted, because hackers can use it to do all sorts of nefarious things.
The fake news sites, which have titles such as “News 6 News Alerts,” falsely indicate that the reports they display have been “seen” on major media outlets, such as CNN, USA Today, and Consumer Reports; in reality the reports are merely ads meant to entice people to buy things.
More DETAILS at: pcworld.com/article/249300/new_digital_spam_how_bad_guys_try_to_trick_you_how_to_avoid_the_traps.html
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