Iowa’s top prosecutor is backing the new federal effort to block telemarketing calls. The Federal Trade Commission today launched a toll-free number and a website where people can register their phone numbers, which Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller says will be a big plus for anyone who has a phone.Federal officials say the hotelier and the website “www.donotcall.gov” was getting 108 people registered every second nationwide earlier today. Miller expects it to be highly popular with Iowans, though he says registering -won’t- eliminate all telemarketing calls.Miller says it won’t guarantee -all- calls will stop, but it should end a “vast majority” of them. Exceptions include: political calls, charities, telephone surveys and insurance companies. Hundreds of Iowans work in telemarketing call centers in Cedar Rapids, Davenport and Des Moines. Miller says he does -not- see this new “do not call” service hurting the direct-marketing industry in Iowa.Iowans can call 888-382-1222 from the phone they’d like to have registered on the “do not call” list. And again, registration can also be performed online at “www.donotcall.gov”.
