[comp.dcom.telecom] Can They Get Away With This?

oplinger@sol.crd.ge.com (B. S. Oplinger) (10/14/90)

In article <13495@accuvax.nwu.edu> John_David_Galt writes about 
Mercury marketing:

>I have also gotten some annoying sales calls from the Mercury, though
>not lately.  At least they seem to obey the law against having a
>computer initiate the call, without a human being talking to you
>first.  

This is not the first time I have seen a reference to this 'law.' Both
my roommate and I have student loans serviced by the Student Loan
Servicing Center of PA. We both live in NY. Does this means two sets
of laws apply (one at each end)? He is rather bad about paying his
bills. I use CheckFree, which pays them electronically, automatically
each month. I get a prerecorded message which starts 'This is the
Student Loan ... please hold because we must talk to you about an
urgent matter about your account.' (Wording close but not exact.) 

I really hate hanging onto the phone for a couple minutes (last week
they called each night and I waited for up to five minutes, after all
they are paying for the call, since they are such a pain in the ...)
After this wait they wanted to speak to my roommate. I really dislike
this. Can they get away with this? I would have no problems with a
daily live-person call asking for my roommate to please pay his bills
(they have to make a living too), its just this automated called for a
nameless person that bugs me.


brian
oplinger@crd.ge.com

<#include standard.disclaimer>


[Moderator's Note: When the computer calls you, just hang up. They'll
call back in person eventually.  PAT]