(December 16th, 2008)

Main topic: Automated Telemarketing calls – A new law

Scheme of the week: Hoaxes concerning gift cards, re-aging a debt

Q –Tell us about the new law that is intended to stop unwanted automated telemarketing calls.

Effective December 1, any telemarketing call that delivers a prerecorded message must include a quick and easy way to opt-out of receiving future calls. The opt-out must work both for consumers who answer these calls in person and for those whose answering machines or voicemail services receive the calls. Any permitted prerecorded message must provide the called consumer with an interactive means to opt out of receiving future calls from the seller or fundraiser using the prerecorded message. Once the consumer has opted out, his or her phone number must be automatically added to the in-house Do Not Call list of the calling seller or fundraiser. Then the call immediately must be disconnected so that the consumer’s line is cleared.

Full details may be found at:

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2008/12/tsramendments.shtm

Q-What is our scheme of the week?

Negative Debt Info in Your Credit Report

Most negative information stays on your credit report for seven years, a bankruptcy for ten. The time is not extended, however, when the debt is sold or assigned to a new person such as a debt collector. If a debt collector tries to "re-age" a debt, tell the credit bureau and demand they correct the incorrect information.

Hoaxes about Gift Cards

On to hoaxes, or semi-hoaxes. Holiday shoppers have seen warnings by emails about buying gift cards. The e-mails list store closures, bankruptcies and other issues with retailers. The problem is that the lists are neither complete nor accurate. Consumers should be careful in taking such lists as gospel. If you are concerned about a particular store do some online research. But there is no way to tell for sure what is going to happen.