Attorney General's News Release

July 27, 2004

No more telemarketing calls from MCI, AT&T to the 1.6 million Missouri homes on No Call list, Nixon announces

St. Louis, Mo. — There will be two fewer major companies making telemarketing calls to the 1.6 million Missouri households on the state's No Call list, thanks to agreements between Attorney General Jay Nixon and telephone giants MCI and AT&T. The agreements settle lawsuits Nixon filed against the telephone companies last summer.

"Telephone companies were exempted by the General Assembly from the No Call law and legislators have failed to close that loophole the past three years, so these agreements are significant," Nixon said. "We will continue to go after telephone companies if we believe they are violating state or federal law with telemarketing calls."

Nixon said telemarketing calls from telephone companies have been the biggest source of complaints to his office from Missourians on the No Call list, with more than 10,000 complaints registered about such calls. Last July, Nixon filed lawsuits against AT&T, MCI and Southwestern Bell, alleging those telephone companies violated the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act. Nixon said the violations occurred when the companies made repeat telemarketing calls to consumers who specifically asked those companies not to call them.

Under the agreements, MCI and AT&T will obtain copies of the Missouri No Call database from the Attorney General's Office and then will obtain the updated versions as they become available four times a year. The companies will use the database and institute an employee training program to ensure their representatives do not make telemarketing calls to the numbers on the list and will provide Nixon's office with their own do not call lists. Under the agreements, MCI will pay $40,000 to the state, and AT&T will pay $10,000 to the state; violations of the agreements will carry a $1,000 penalty.

Last September, Nixon reached an agreement with Sprint Communications, which was not named in the lawsuits, for the company to obtain a copy of the No Call list and not make telemarketing calls to those Missourians. The lawsuit against Southwestern Bell is pending in federal court.

Missouri residents not yet on the No Call list may register by Aug. 1 to have their numbers included on the next updated quarterly list. Consumers also may register by calling toll-free 1-866-NO CALL 1 (1-866-662-2551). Those already on the No Call list may file complaints about No Call violations online or by calling the toll-free number.

Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to Press Secretary John Fougere.

E-mail      Phone: 573-751-8844         Fax: 573-751-5818