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Ocean County Offers Telemarketing Protection Tips
OCEAN COUNTY - The Ocean County Department of Consumer Affairs and the Board of Chosen Freeholders are urging residents who are frustrated with telemarketers to consider the following options to protect themselves.
According to the New Jersey State Consumer Affairs Division, the number one consumer complaint trend for the month of June was telemarketing.
"Our homes are supposed to be a place of peace and sanctity, but for too long, Ocean County homes have been disrupted by pesky and sometimes impertinent telemarketing scams," said Freeholder Joseph H. Vicari, liaison to the Ocean County Department of Consumer Affairs.
The Department of Consumer Affairs suggests Ocean County residents register for New Jersey's free "Do Not Call" list.
The "Do Not Call" law utilizes the federal no telemarketing call registry to establish a State-specific list that increases New Jersey consumers' protection from unsolicited and unwanted telemarketing sales calls.
"By enforcing its own "Do Not Call" law, New Jersey is maximizing consumers' rights and protections," Vicari said.
According to the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, the New Jersey "Do Not Call" law serves consumers by restricting calling times, imposing strict penalties and requiring telemarketers to register with Consumer Affairs and disclose certain information with both Consumer Affairs and the consumer.
The New Jersey "Do Not Call" law is also among the regulations passed by the Federal Trade Commission aimed at stopping telemarketing scams.
"The New Jersey "Do Not Call" law not only guards consumers from intrusions into their privacy, but it also aims to protect residents from telemarketing fraud as well," Vicari said.
Telemarketing is an important and legitimate $500-billion-a-year business, however, telemarketing scams rob consumers of approximately $40 billion every year.
While tougher regulations help, the Department of Consumer Affairs urges Ocean County consumers to heed certain cautions so they themselves can play a key role in the fight against telemarketing fraud.
For example, never give a telemarketer your credit card number unless you have initiated the call, or any other personal information about yourself, including medical information or checking account, driver's license, Social Security or telephone calling card numbers.
Also, never pay anything for a prize or agree to an offer until you have seen it in writing. And most importantly, remember that if an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
To register for the New Jersey "Do Not Call" list, either call the Federal Trade Commission at 1-888-382-1222 from the phone number to be blocked or log onto www.donotcall.gov.
Telemarketers will have up to three months from the number's registration date to stop calling. If after the three-month period telemarketers still call, contact Consumer Affairs at 1-888-656-6225 or log onto www. NJConsumerAffairs.com to file a complaint report that should contain the date of the call, the name of the telemarketer, the name of the seller, the telemarketer's address and/or the telemarketer's telephone number, if available.
To report a telemarketing scam, call 973-504- 6200 or email AskConsumersAffairs@lps.
state.nj.us to request a complaint form.
For more information on the New Jersey "Do Not Call" law or telemarketing fraud, call either the Ocean County Department of Consumer Affairs at 732-929-2105, or the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs at 1-800-242-5846.
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