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Leave it to our senior senator to sniff out the bizzarre 19th century law that means New Yorkers pay extra in cellphone taxes! Senator Schumer is complaining that a law from the Spanish American War (circa 1898), originally created to generate revenue for the federal government, should be discarded - as it has in other parts of the country - and that the IRS should refund NYers $50 for the past three years of paying the tax. Gothamist hates reading our cellphone bill, because even though we think we have a great plan (many minutes! text messages galore!), the taxes really stink.
And we got this reminder from a friend:
JUST A REMINDER....ON Feb. 5th 2006, all cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sale calls. ...YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS...Yeah, we are so not excited about ads coming to cellphones. Update: Everyone has been helpfully telling us that we're wrong, stupid and a sucker in comments, which Gothamist appreciates. Many special thanks to all of you, including reader Ted who sent us this definitive FTC press release that says this email forward is incorrect and, well, anxiety-producing. Now we know better than to pay attention to things our friends send us. Much love!To prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone: >888-382-1222. It is the national DO NOT CALL list. It will only take a minute of your time. It blocks your number for five (5) years. You can also register at www.donotcall.gov
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I think that email you got is a hoax, although you can register your cell phone with DNC. From the Do Not Call website (information page for consumers):
"10. Can I register my cell phone on the National Do Not Call Registry?
Yes, you may place your personal cell phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry. The registry has accepted cell phone numbers since it opened for registrations in June 2003. There is no deadline to register a home or cell phone number on the Registry.
You may have received an email telling you that your cell phone is about to be assaulted by telemarketing calls as a result of a new cell phone number database; however, that is not the case. FCC regulations prohibit telemarketers from using automated dialers to call cell phone numbers. Automated dialers are standard in the industry, so most telemarketers don’t call consumers on their cell phones without their consent."
I was going to say it was crap, but hoax is a good word.
Jen Chung is a sucker for these things. I'm surprised she hasn't posted about Bill Gates giving everyone $100 to foward emails.
you know, when you answer any call you are charged as they count towards the minutes you use.
so if cell phones are able to get called (they can), then if you pick up, aren't you charged? at least in minutes anyway.
Definitely a load of crap. http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/cell411.asp
I did post about the regular home DNC, but didn't know what the deal was with the cellphone one. And to think, a government employee friend sent me this! My friends must suck!
I already knew about the Snopes article, but the very NY Times article Jen links to reinforces the point. "It is illegal for carriers to sell phone numbers to telemarketers."
I've known a lot of government employees, both NYS and federal. Many of them are idiots who are in civil service positions because they wouldn't be able to hack it in the real world. And you wonder why government is so screwed up.
Yikes! Gothamist, please check your sources before posting stuff like this.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/cell411.asp
I used to work for a cell phone company and when this rumor would make the rounds on the internet, it was pure hell. Don't perpetuate it!
Also note that the purposed directory of cell numbers is something that Verizon has declined to participate in.
Anyway, PLEASE don't go posting crap that gets forwarded to you without at least checking first. Bill Gates won't give you 100 dollars, you won't get a free trip to Disneyland, and some random DLL file isn't a virus.
Hey, remember when all of your friends sent out those emails to get a free iPod? Well, NONE of you got any fucking free iPods, now did you?
"a government employee friend"??
Would that be a TWU card carrying subway conductor? Or DC37 administrative assistant?