Get a recent call from a telemarketer telling you that your auto warranty has expired. I did, which I blogged about not long ago. I heard, “this is the second time we have called you that your car warranty has expired”. They called me on my home, work, and even cell phones — all of which are unlisted and on the do not call list. It appears that the telemarketers were using fake caller-id’s, which is a big no-no. In fact, they used the phone numbers to call people (well fake phone numbers) that really belonged to other people.
The two companies, Voice Touch Inc. and Transcontinental Warranty Inc., were named in a lawsuit filed in the Chicago District court by the ftc, who is seeking injunctions to their telemarketing efforts. FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz called it “one of the most aggressive” telemarketing schemes the agency has ever seen.
The laws state that a telemarketer must use their real phone number (not a fake one) and also provide you a means to be removed from the phone number database. Unfortunately, they didn’t comply with either. They also, didn’t even think to use the do not call list to filter their phone number directory.