Are you or your elderly loved one tempted, confused or overwhelmed by solicitation calls and mail? The Federal Trade Commission recommends ways to help: You can reduce the number of unwanted sales calls you get by signing up for the National Do Not Call Registry. Add your phone number for free by visiting donotcall.gov, or calling 1-888-382-1222 from the phone you want to register (TTY: 1-866-290-4236). If you register online, you will receive a confirmation email from donotcall.gov. You must click on the link in the email within 72 hours to complete your registration. Note that the Do Not Call Registry only prohibits sales calls. You still may receive political calls, charitable calls, debt collection calls, informational calls, and telephone survey calls. In addition, companies may still call if you’ve recently done business with the company, or if you’ve given the company written permission to call you. However, if you ask a company not to call you again, it must honor your request. Record the date of your request. For more information, visit the Federal Trade Commission website. Hang up on illegal sales calls. If your number is on the National Do Not Call Registry, and you get a sales call, or you get an illegal robocall, don’t interact in any way. Don’t press buttons to be taken off the call list or to talk to a live person. Doing so will probably lead to more unwanted calls. Instead, hang up and file a complaint with the FTC. The Direct Marketing Association's (DMA) Mail Preference Service (MPS) lets you opt out of receiving unsolicited commercial mail from many national companies for five years. When you register with this service, your name will be put on a "delete" file and made available to direct-mail marketers and organizations. This will reduce most of your unsolicited mail. However, your registration will not stop mailings from organizations that do not use the DMA's Mail Preference Service. To register with DMA's Mail Preference Service, go to www.dmachoice.org, or mail your request with a $1 processing fee to: DMAchoice The DMA offers a service that helps family members, friends or caretakers remove the names of individuals in their care from commercial marketing lists. Go to this link at DMA.org. The DMA offers a service that helps family members, friends or caretakers remove the names of deceased individuals from commercial marketing lists. Go to this link at DMA.org. The DMA also has an Email Preference Service (eMPS) to help you reduce unsolicited commercial emails. To opt out of receiving unsolicited commercial email from DMA members, visit this link at www.dmachoice.org. Registration is free and good for six years. Many companies that solicit new credit card accounts and insurance policies use prescreening to identify potential customers for the products they offer. Prescreened offers — sometimes called "preapproved" offers — are based on information in your credit report that indicates you meet criteria set by the offeror. Usually, prescreened solicitations come via mail, but you also may get them in a phone call or in an email. If you decide that you don't want to receive prescreened offers of credit and insurance, you have two choices: You can opt out of receiving them for five years or opt out of receiving them permanently. To opt out for five years: Call toll-free 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688) or visit www.optoutprescreen.com. The phone number and website are operated by the major consumer reporting companies. To opt out permanently: You may begin the permanent Opt-Out process online at www.optoutprescreen.com. To complete your request, you must return the signed Permanent Opt-Out Election form, which will be provided after you initiate your online request. When you call or visit the website, you'll be asked to provide certain personal information, including your home telephone number, name, Social Security number, and date of birth. The information you provide is confidential and will be used only to process your request to opt out. You can contact individual companies directly and ask to be removed from their mailing list. The companies are required to honor your request, but it may take many weeks for the change to be implemented. Care is There Geriatric Care Management can help your loved one reduce unwanted solicitations by helping them:1. National Do Not Call Registry
2. Reducing Illegal Sales Calls
3. Reducing Unwanted Mail
Direct Marketing Association
P.O. Box 643
Carmel, NY 10512Do Not Contact for Caretaker's Registration
Deceased Do Not Contact Registration
Email
4. Reducing Prescreened Credit and Insurance Offers
5. Contacting Solicitors Directly
How Care is There can help
Next Steps
Is your loved one tempted, concerned, or confused by unwanted solicitations?
Contact Care is There today for a free consultation!
Charlottesville Area: 434.326.5323
Shenandoah Valley: 540. 246.0211
Toll Free: 800.434.1633
Email: Info@CareisThere.com
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