Should I Add My Cell Phone to the Do Not Call Registry?

I received an e-mail forward claiming my cell phone number will be given to telemarketers very soon. The message urges me to call a number from my phone in order to register with the government’s Do Not Call Registry. Is this true? Should I follow these directions?

Ah, the ol’ Do Not Call Registry forward. This message usually finds its way into the inbox of someone I know every few months or so. The message strikes an urgent tone, and warns of the imminent release of cell phone numbers to telemarketers. You are urged to call the government’s Do Not Call Registry, which forbids telemarketers from pitching you on your mobile. So, is it true?

Like most other e-mail forwards, this one is mostly false. It’s a chain letter disguised as a public service, designed to illicit a reaction in all those who receive it. Here are the facts:

• Your cell phone number is not going to be included in any public directories.
• Telemarketers are not allowed to contact cell phones using automated dialers.
• There is no ticking time bomb — your mobile provider is not planning publishing your phone number in the next few days or weeks.
• The government does indeed maintain a Do Not Call list, to which you can add your cell phone.
• There is no deadline for registering with the Do Not Call list.

The National Do Not Call Registry is located at www.donotcall.gov. Check out About.com’s Urban Legends and Folklore page regarding this e-mail forward to see different versions known to be in circulation. Finally, the FCC has addressed this rumor in “The Truth about Cell Phones and the Do Not Call Registry“.