For more information contact:
James W. Reed, Deputy Commissioner
Office of Consumer Affairs
516-571-3284

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Don't Call Me . . . .

The "Do Not Call" Registry was established by law, effective April 1, 2001, to protect consumers from unwanted telemarketing sales calls. New Yorkers who register will be protected from most high-pressure sales calls, however, it will not stop all sales calls since there are some exceptions: charitable organizations, religious corporations, political parties and committees; companies with which you have had a prior business relationship and telemarketers who wish to arrange for a face-to-face meeting before concluding a sales transaction.

Once a number appears on the Registry, telemarketers have a 30-day "grace period" to remove the number from their call lists. After that, calls to numbers on the Registry list will be illegal. It could take several months before you notice a significant reduction in the number of telemarketing sales calls you receive since the Registry is published quarterly (January, April, July and October).

Consumers may join the "Do Not Call" Registry by calling 1-866-622-5569 or via the Internet at www.consumer.state.ny.us or if they believe a telemarketer has violated the law, they may call the Consumer Hotline at 1-800-697-1220 for assistance. Consumers should record the date and time of any alleged violation, the name of the company whose product or service is being sold, the name and address of the telemarketing firm, and any number appearing on Caller ID (if available). Telemarketers who violate the law are subject to penalties of up to $2,000 for each violation.

Information in your credit report can affect your ability to get a job, a mortgage, a loan, a credit card or insurance. To make sure the information in your report is accurate, contact:

Equifax 1-800-685-1111

Experian 1-800-682-7654
(Formerly TRW)

Trans Union 1-800-916-8800

The cost for a report is $8.50. See www.ftc.gov for more information.