Tired of telemarketing calls? As of September 30 2008 Canadians can register phone or fax numbers on a National Do Not Call List (DNCL). You can register your home phone, cell or fax number(s) on the DNCL. To register, visit www.LNNTE-DNCL.gc.ca or call 1 866-580-3625. Registration takes effect 31 days after you sign up, and youll need to renew every 3 years.
Registering with the DNCL wont stop all unsolicited calls though. Certain telemarketers will still be able to call you because they are exempt from the new rules. Exempt telemarketers include:
- Registered charities;
- Political parties and candidates;
- Newspapers trying to get subscriptions;
- Companies with whom you have an existing business relationship, or that youve done business with recently, such as within the past 18 months.
However, you can ask any of the exempt telemarketers to put you on their own do not call list, and they would have to do so within 31 days of your request.
Organizations conducting market research, polls, or surveys are also still allowed to call individuals registered with the DNCL.
Whether you are on the DNCL or not, all telemarketers must follow certain basic rules when calling. For example, a telemarketer must tell you who is calling, and should only call between 9 am and 9:30 pm Monday to Friday, or between 10 am and 6 pm on weekends.
For more information about Canadas National DNCL, visit the CRTC (Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission) website.