[05/26/03] Although Mississippi’s law creating a do-not-call list to formally limit telemarketers doesn’t start for another month, there are things Mississippians can do now to reduce the number of nuisance calls.

There are also ways to cut down on the amount of direct mail solicitations and unsolicited commercial e-mail, called spam, even though there is no law regulating those practices in Mississippi, said the Better Business Bureau of Mississippi.

Bill Moak, president of the Mississippi BBB, said many state residents are tired of sorting through all the direct-mail pieces and pre-approved credit card solicitations that fill their mailboxes. Others, he said, are tired of getting unsolicited, commercial e-mail

“There are a number of ways to reduce the chances of your receiving direct mail, telemarketing calls and e-mail spam,” Moak said. “There are ways you can just say no’ to all this unwanted attention, and the consumers’ arsenal of weapons to stop this invasion is growing.”

One of the weapons is a toll-free phone number operated by the three of the four major credit bureaus that allows a person to “opt out” of having pre-approved credit offers sent for two years. The bureaus are Equifax, Experian and Trans Union. The fourth company is Innovis.

A resident can call 888-5-OPTOUT (567-8688) for more information.

Residents can notify the credit bureaus they does not want personal information shared for promotional purposes.

“This allows you to tell them don’t release information to marketers’ and they are going to honor the request,” Moak said.

By contacting the credit bureaus, Moak said a large portion of the credit-card solicitations should cease as soon as updated lists are in the hands of the credit card companies.

Moak also said the Direct Marketing Association offers the Mail and Telephone Preference Services which allows people to reduce the amount of direct-mail marketing and telemarketing for five years before renewal.

To reduce spam, Moak said the DMA launched the E-Mail Preference Service which allows people to opt out of receiving unsolicited, commercial e-mail for a year.

Gov. Ronnie Musgrove signed Mississippi’s Do Not Call law shortly after it was passed by the 2003 term of the Mississippi Legislature. It will go into effect July 1 and the Mississippi Public Service Commission will enforce it.

According to Neilsen Cochran, central district commissioner for the PSC, the commission and its staff are working on the rules and regulations needed to put the law into effect.

“We will have a public hearing June 3 to hear arguments pro and con,” Cochran said.

The hearing will follow immediately after the 10 a.m. calling of the docket for all matters to come before the commission.

“We will have the rules in place by July 1,” he said.

Cochran said there will be four ways Mississippi residents can place their names on the list.

One will be through the PSC’s Web page. A form will be available on the site. As soon as the form is sent back to the PSC, the person’s information is verified and the name and phone number are placed in the no-call database.

Another way will be to call a special 800 number. The caller will enter information into an automated system that will also automatically verify the information and enter it on the data base.

“Those are the two methods we prefer people to use,” Cochran said.

A third way is to call the PSC main office in Jackson or one of the commissioners’ outlying offices and give the information to a staff member.

The fourth way is to write the commission.

Cochran said the commission will follow up with a letter confirming the person’s name was placed on the list. Eventually, that letter will be changed into a full packet of information telling the person how to file complaints and forms to help with the process.

“There is no time limit on the list,” Cochran said. “Once you are on the list, you remain there until you tell us to remove you or you vacate your telephone number.”

The new state law requires all telemarketers who do business in the state to buy updated copies of the don’t call list and imposes a $5,000 civil penalty for each violation.

Cochran also said if a person has multiple residential telephone numbers, he or she can place all of them on the don’t call list.

There are many exemptions. For example, people who have done business with a customer previously may still call as may newspaper representatives and funeral homes. Callers representing local charities and students representing schools or universities may also call those on “do not call lists,” but paid charitable telemarketers are not exempt.