Friday, October 16, 1998

Got that number?

While many Texas consumers welcome the convenience of telemarketing, others prefer to exercise their option of not being bothered by unwanted calls at home. That's one reason Caller ID has become so popular - to allow people to see who is calling and decide whether to pick up.

Many telemarketers, however, block their numbers and call anonymously, meaning Texans have to answer to find out who "unknown" is.

If that happens now, it's against the law.

A new state law says the names of solicitors and their telephone numbers must show up on Caller ID units. Companies that don't comply can be fined up to $1,000 a day. And Texans are welcome to file complaints with the Texas Public Utility Commission. PUC rules also specify that telemarketers identify themselves by name, identify the business for whom they are calling and provide a working telephone number.

To report a violation, call the PUC's toll-free number, 1-800-782-8477; send e-mail to customer@puc.state.tx.us; fax statements to 512-936-7003; or write the PUC Office of Customer Protection, P.O. Box 13326, Austin, TX 78711-3326.