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CNN Sunday Morning
Interview With Margaret Egler
Aired August 31, 2003 - 07:14 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: If you want to stop those nagging telemarketing calls, you are running out of time. Tonight is the deadline to sign up for the national do not call list. If you want to be on it when it goes into effect on October 1.
For more on the approaching deadline, Margaret Egler joins us now from Princeton, New Jersey. She's the FCC's deputy bureau chief for policy. We'd also invited American Teleservices. Unfortunately, they were not able to join us this morning.
We want to go ahead, Margaret, and tell you thanks, of course, for being here, but want to have you just maybe sort of reiterate a little bit about what the do not call list is?
MARGARET EGLER, FCC DEPUTY BUREAU, CHIEF FOR POLICY: Well, the national do not call list allows individuals to tell telemarketers they don't want any more telemarketing calls. You put your number on the list for five years, you should not receive any telemarketing calls.
COLLINS: OK, so how does it work? And we know that it's going to go into effect on October 1.
EGLER: Right.
COLLINS: How does it work?
EGLER: Basically, you send your number in via the Internet, www.donotcall.gov. Or you can call the number 1-888-382-1222. Once your number's on the list, then telemarketers will start downloading the list on September 2.
Beginning October 1, we'll begin enforcing the list. And if any telemarketer calls you after you name has been on the list, you can file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission or the Federal Trade Commission.
COLLINS: Now Margaret, I got to tell you, even though I've been doing like 7,000 stories on this, and that people have been very interested, I hadn't done it myself until this morning I got on. And it really only takes just a few seconds.
But I am curious to know, and there's a disclaimer on there that says that some telemarketers might still be able to get a hold of you?
EGLER: Right, there are two exceptions to the list. One is for non-profit charitable organizations. They're exempt from the list. There's also an exemption for companies that you've done business with in the last 18 months.
But if you've done business with someone, and they call you, they only get one call because then you can say to them, put me on your company specific list. And they have to do that and keep that list for five years as well.
So you can figure out a way to keep -- to not get telemarketing calls from any for profit organizations.
COLLINS: So what happens if these companies, not the non profits of course that you just mentioned, but if the other companies try to call you anyway? You say you're going to start enforcing the do not call list. What does that mean?
EGLER: Well, you have a couple options. You can file a complaint with one of the federal agencies I just mentioned, but you're also entitled to file a small claims court action. The statute, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, allows individuals to receive $500 per violation. If you go to small claims court, you just have to show that you're on the list and that the call was made to you, and you're entitled to $500.
COLLINS: OK, so you obviously have to go in and handle this yourself, as far as the courts are concerned, yes?
EGLER: Right, you do that. Or you could just file a complaint online with the FTC or the FCC, and we'll look into those companies that are violating the rules.
COLLINS: Do you think that's going to be hard to do?
EGLER: No, I mean, what -- the great thing about the list is that it gives us a whole lot of evidence. We know who's on the list. We -- it's not going to be a problem to figure out whether or not you put your name on. So once you can show us that people are calling, we see a pattern of those type of calls violating the rules we can take action.
And our actions, we can fine people -- the companies up to $11,000 per violation.
COLLINS: So today's the deadline. A lot of people vacationing right now for the holiday weekend. If you haven't done it by today, can you still go ahead and do it at some point?
EGLER: Absolutely. The important part about today's deadline is that the first download for telemarketers begins September 2. If you don't get on by today, you can go on after the 1st or 2nd of September, all that means is that the telemarketers don't have to download again for 90 days.
So if you go on, on September 2 or September 3, you could still get telemarketing calls up and through December. But then after that, it'll kick in for you. You can constantly get on the list, that's not a problem. It's just how soon you get on is how soon you'll stop getting the telemarketing calls.
COLLINS: Right. And for some people, that's just not soon enough. All right. The FCC's deputy bureau chief for policy, Margaret Egler. Thanks so much for helping us out this morning. We appreciate it.
EGLER: Sure.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired August 31, 2003 - 07:14 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: If you want to stop those nagging telemarketing calls, you are running out of time. Tonight is the deadline to sign up for the national do not call list. If you want to be on it when it goes into effect on October 1.
For more on the approaching deadline, Margaret Egler joins us now from Princeton, New Jersey. She's the FCC's deputy bureau chief for policy. We'd also invited American Teleservices. Unfortunately, they were not able to join us this morning.
We want to go ahead, Margaret, and tell you thanks, of course, for being here, but want to have you just maybe sort of reiterate a little bit about what the do not call list is?
MARGARET EGLER, FCC DEPUTY BUREAU, CHIEF FOR POLICY: Well, the national do not call list allows individuals to tell telemarketers they don't want any more telemarketing calls. You put your number on the list for five years, you should not receive any telemarketing calls.
COLLINS: OK, so how does it work? And we know that it's going to go into effect on October 1.
EGLER: Right.
COLLINS: How does it work?
EGLER: Basically, you send your number in via the Internet, www.donotcall.gov. Or you can call the number 1-888-382-1222. Once your number's on the list, then telemarketers will start downloading the list on September 2.
Beginning October 1, we'll begin enforcing the list. And if any telemarketer calls you after you name has been on the list, you can file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission or the Federal Trade Commission.
COLLINS: Now Margaret, I got to tell you, even though I've been doing like 7,000 stories on this, and that people have been very interested, I hadn't done it myself until this morning I got on. And it really only takes just a few seconds.
But I am curious to know, and there's a disclaimer on there that says that some telemarketers might still be able to get a hold of you?
EGLER: Right, there are two exceptions to the list. One is for non-profit charitable organizations. They're exempt from the list. There's also an exemption for companies that you've done business with in the last 18 months.
But if you've done business with someone, and they call you, they only get one call because then you can say to them, put me on your company specific list. And they have to do that and keep that list for five years as well.
So you can figure out a way to keep -- to not get telemarketing calls from any for profit organizations.
COLLINS: So what happens if these companies, not the non profits of course that you just mentioned, but if the other companies try to call you anyway? You say you're going to start enforcing the do not call list. What does that mean?
EGLER: Well, you have a couple options. You can file a complaint with one of the federal agencies I just mentioned, but you're also entitled to file a small claims court action. The statute, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, allows individuals to receive $500 per violation. If you go to small claims court, you just have to show that you're on the list and that the call was made to you, and you're entitled to $500.
COLLINS: OK, so you obviously have to go in and handle this yourself, as far as the courts are concerned, yes?
EGLER: Right, you do that. Or you could just file a complaint online with the FTC or the FCC, and we'll look into those companies that are violating the rules.
COLLINS: Do you think that's going to be hard to do?
EGLER: No, I mean, what -- the great thing about the list is that it gives us a whole lot of evidence. We know who's on the list. We -- it's not going to be a problem to figure out whether or not you put your name on. So once you can show us that people are calling, we see a pattern of those type of calls violating the rules we can take action.
And our actions, we can fine people -- the companies up to $11,000 per violation.
COLLINS: So today's the deadline. A lot of people vacationing right now for the holiday weekend. If you haven't done it by today, can you still go ahead and do it at some point?
EGLER: Absolutely. The important part about today's deadline is that the first download for telemarketers begins September 2. If you don't get on by today, you can go on after the 1st or 2nd of September, all that means is that the telemarketers don't have to download again for 90 days.
So if you go on, on September 2 or September 3, you could still get telemarketing calls up and through December. But then after that, it'll kick in for you. You can constantly get on the list, that's not a problem. It's just how soon you get on is how soon you'll stop getting the telemarketing calls.
COLLINS: Right. And for some people, that's just not soon enough. All right. The FCC's deputy bureau chief for policy, Margaret Egler. Thanks so much for helping us out this morning. We appreciate it.
EGLER: Sure.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
