Bothered by Telemarketers? Want to stop people from calling you at home to sell you things?

You may register your phone number (including cell phone number) with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission Consumer Protection Bureau. The FTC has set up a special website where you can register your phone numbers.

You may also call 1-888-382-1222 (1-866-290-4236 for TTY users) to register your phone number. Please note that you must call the above number from the phone you want to place on the registry.

The national registry works in conjunction with similar registries in 27 states. The state of Maryland does not have a statewide Do Not Call registry, but the state does recognize individual resident’s rights not to be called. Maryland informs the consumer on how to stop annoying calls and by protecting your personal information such as your telephone number and address. For more information on the Do Not Call policies in Maryland and how to file a complaint against a company who has called you in violation of the registry, please contact the Maryland Attorney General’s Office at (410) 528-8662 or visit their website.

What happens when I register?

You can stop calls from any company (in-state or from outside Maryland) that is trying to promote or sell you goods or services. You can also give permission for certain companies to keep calling you.

If you register on-line, you will receive an email confirmation and in order to activate your entry.  You must reply to the email within 72 hours to confirm your registration.  After you register, your phone number will show up on the registry the next day.  Telemarketers will have 31 days to remove your phone number from their call lists.

The registration remains in effect until the phone number is disconnected or until you take your number off the registry.  You may remove your number from the registry by calling 1-888-382-1222 from the telephone number you want to delete.

Who can still call you?

While the system will prevent most telemarketers from calling you, there are exceptions. The following groups/companies may still call you.

• Companies may call you for 90 days after you inquire about services or complete an application for services.
  
• If you have an "established business relationship", the company may call you for up to 18 months after the last time you purchased something from them (or had another "business transaction").
  
• Tax-exempt, nonprofit organizations (charities) are exempt and may call to raise money.
  
• This registry does not cover calls on religious or political matters (for example political polls) since they are not considered telemarketers.
  

What do I do if a company calls me anyway?

First, you should be able to identify the company by their caller ID if your phone is equipped with caller ID. Secondly, you must note the date of the call, the name of the telemarketer who called you and the city and state where the company is located. This information will help you to fill out a complaint form with the FTC and assist them with the investigation of a violator. Please go to the FTC website for complaint forms and instructions or visit the registry's website at www.donotcall.gov.  You may also call their toll free number at 1-888-382-1222 for additional information. TTY users please call 1-866-290-4236 for further instructions.

Be aware of “Do Not Call List” scams  

Date of last legal review 01/10/08(PLL/M.A.J.)

About this website. The Maryland State Law Library, a court-related agency of the Maryland Judiciary, sponsors this site. The website was developed (1999-2007) as part of an access to justice initiative by the Maryland Legal Assistance Network (MLAN) in collaboration with a number of legal services providers serving low and moderate income Marylanders.  In the absence of file-specific attribution or copyright, the Maryland State Law Library may hold the copyright to parts of this website. You are free to copy the information for your own use or for other non-commercial purposes with the following language “Source: Maryland's People’s Law Library – www.peoples-law.org. © Maryland State Law Library, 2007.”

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