(NORFOLK COUNTY, ON) – The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Norfolk County Detachment was contacted by a concerned resident at a Hillcrest Road South, Charlotteville, Norfolk County, Ontario address.
Between Sunday, December 1, 2013 and Thursday, December 5, 2013 a resident of Norfolk County contacted that OPP after receiving approximately 57 calls within a four day period from a male claiming that they had won various prizes.
Each time the phone call was received the resident immediately hung up the phone and did not provide and personal or financial information. Police are reminding the public that if you should receive such calls to be extremely vigilant if inquiries are made about any identifying information.
Every year, the Norfolk County OPP receives calls from residents who raise concerns about receiving unwanted telemarketing calls. The OPP want to make everyone aware of the National Do Not Call List (DNCL) which is designed to reduce the number of unsolicited telemarketing calls and faxes Canadians receive.
When you sign up to have your cellular, home phone or fax number included on the National DNCL, companies making unsolicited marketing or sales calls can no longer contact you, with some exceptions.
Residents can sign up their home phone, cellular or fax number(s) on the National DNCL. Signing up is simple, quick and free. You can sign up online at www.LNNTE-DNCL.gc.ca or by calling the toll-free number 1-866-580-DNCL (1-866-580-3625). To sign up using a teletypewriter, dial 1-888-DNCL-TTY (1-888-362-5889).
To sign up by telephone, you must call from the number you wish to register.
After you sign up, your numbers will be added to the List within 24 hours. Telemarketers then have 31 days to update their own information and make sure they don’t call you in their next round of telemarketing. Don’t expect all calls to stop immediately. You could still receive calls within the first 31 days of signing up.
Telemarketers are required by law to subscribe to the National DNCL. Such companies register and pay fees to download updates from a secure website. It’s their responsibility to ensure numbers on the National DNCL are not called.
Registering on the National DNCL will reduce but not eliminate all telemarketing calls and faxes. There are certain kinds of telemarketing calls and faxes that are exempt from the National DNCL, including those made by or on behalf of:
registered charities
newspapers looking for subscriptions
political parties and their candidates
You may also continue to receive calls from organizations conducting market research, polls or surveys even though you are registered on the National DNCL. These calls are exempt from the national DNCL.
They’re not considered to be telemarketing calls because they are not selling a product or service, or requesting donations. Similarly, debt collection calls are not considered telemarketing calls. As well, these organizations do not have to keep internal do not call lists.
Rules that telemarketers must follow when they call:
Identify who they are and, upon request, provide you with a fax or telephone number where you can speak to someone about the telemarketing call.
Display the telephone number that they’re calling from or that you can call to reach them.
Only call or send faxes between 9:00 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. on weekdays and between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on weekends.
“The National DNCL applies to all telemarketing organizations however it does not necessarily prevent fraudulent telemarketing calls. The OPP want to ensure that residents are extremely cautious if they receive a phone call from an unknown person requesting personal or financial information. If you receive a call and are worried it may be part of a fraud scheme to obtain personal information, contact your local police service or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501,†comments Constable Ed Sanchuk, Norfolk County OPP.
