The US Federal Government has finally done something useful for consumers. The new Federal Do Not Call list has been put into effect to try and limit unsolicited phone calls. You can register here. Reports indicate a heavy response.
I intend to sign up, but I am already on the Texas Do Not call list, which predates the Federal list by several years. And for the most part it works. I've only had one unsolicited call that I know of, and it was from a scummer who left a message on my answering machine recently. No return number, or I would have reported it and tried to collect my reward.
Now....if the Fed's would only get busy with SPAM protection for us online junkies! Don't hold your breath. I have been a SPAM fighter now for several years and have become fairly proficient in tracking down the origins of these messages and the SPAM sites that support them. As gratifying as this is, it is mostly in vain.....the spammers have for the most part become professionals and they cover their tracks very well. With modern SPAM sending software, it is almost impossible to track the ownership of the accounts. One can, however determine where the SPAM target sites are being hosted.....mainly in China. These Chinese based hosts do not care one whit if they get complaints and in fact laugh all the way to the Bank of Beijing. Therefore the only recourse is to complain to the American backbone server who is allowing that IP address into their network.
And then guess what happens? Nothing. Because Verio, CW, or AT&T are laughing all the way to the Bank of America. Nothing will be done until these companies, and others, that are permitting this [and making big bucks] are held accountable and/or liable.
