Californians Can Register Starting April 1

National "Do Not Call" Registry Launched June 27

By Pam Dixon *
Principal Investigator
Online Job Search Privacy Study
www.pamdixon.com

Timothy J. Muris, Chair
Federal Trade Commission
600 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20580

Dear Chairman Muris:

Submitting a resume on the Internet could result in a privacy nightmare for would-be job seekers. Online resume databases could be using and selling personal information in ways never imagined by applicants, according to Pam Dixon and the San Diego-based Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (PRC).

Fed-up with unwanted telemarketing calls, consumers are anxious to add their telephone number to a do-not-call list. Interest has been fueled by recent media reports of a new do-not-call list soon to launched in California. When this happens, California will join about 20 other states that already have do-not-call lists.

In addition, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has adopted rules that will establish a national do-not-call registry, and the FTC may be joined by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in this effort.

December 5, 2002

Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th St., SW
Washington, D.C. 50554

RE: Comment on Rules and Regulations Implementing the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 - CG Docket No. 02-278 and CC Docket No. 92-90 ecfs@fcc.gov

Dear Secretary Dortch:

James moved apartments and put in his change-of-address card with the U.S. Post Office. Unfortunately, they didn't forward his mail to his new apartment. When his mail was dropped at the previous apartment, the new tenants left it out in a common area. As a result, someone took the credit card applications sent to him, filled them out and returned them in his name—making James a victim of identity theft.

James’s name has been changed to protect his privacy.

• Are you fed up with receiving pre-recorded telemarketing calls?
• Do you live in Southern California?
• Help us gather evidence for possible legal and legislative action.

Here are typical scenarios.

Submitted to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, October 2002

Testimony of Edmund Mierzwinski, Consumer Program Director, U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG)

Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs
United States Senate

The Honorable Paul Sarbanes, Chairman

September 19, 2002