Telemarketing e-mail hoax targets cell phones

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By Brigitte Yuille • Bankrate.com

A scary message may be lurking in your e-mail inbox.

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The message warns that, within days, your cell phone might be under attack by telemarketers who will flood your phone and eat away your cell phone minutes. Relax, it's not true.

This alarming e-mail campaign is making the rounds once again on the Internet.

The Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, wants to notify the public that it's bogus. Even if it weren't, the FTC says, most calls from telemarketers attempting to reach you on your cell phone number would be illegal.

So if the following e-mails look familiar:

"JUST A REMINDER...In a few weeks, cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sale calls. YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS... To prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone: 888/382-1222. It is the National DO NOT CALL list. It will only take a minute of your time. It blocks your number for five (5) years. PASS THIS ON TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS..."

"The Federal Trade Commission has set up a 'do not call' list. It is called a cell phone registry. To be included on the 'do not call' list, you must call from the number you wish to register."

Just take your mouse and click delete.


E-mail campaign


Here are seven facts the FTC believes you should know:

1.	Cell phone numbers will not be released to telemarketers, and you are not going to be getting telemarketing calls on your mobile phone anytime soon.
2.	Telemarketers have been barred from using automated dialers to call cell phone numbers by the Federal Communications Commission.
3.	Members of the national association representing telemarketers say they have no plans to start calling people on their mobile phones.
4.	Only one National Do Not Call Registry exists. Cell phones do not have their own registry.
5.	You can register your cell phone and land line on the National Do Not Call Registry, but you'll have to call from the number that you want to register. If you register online, you'll need to respond to a confirmation e-mail.
6.	The telecommunications industry has been talking about creating a wireless 411 directory, according to the FCC, but it's just talk, so far. If a wireless 411 directory is established, most of the telemarketing calls would still be illegal.
7.	The Do Not Call Registry does not have a deadline by which you will need to register your cell phone.