The DMA claims telemarketers don't want to call folks who don't want to be called.  In support of that claim, the DMA tells lawmakers that they have a do-not-call list of folks who don't want to be called (the TPS) which is made available to telemarketers. The DMA will not say how many firms buy it (yep, they sell it to junk callers), but a U.S. Congressional report found that only 81 of the DMA's 3,600 members bought it. Furthermore, the DMA has admitted to this writer that, due to the many variations of names and addresses on various lists available to telemarketers, it is common that TPS listees will not be purged from telemarketing lists due to mis-matches resulting from such name and address variations.

Yet, a TPS listee's file contains the following information in one record.: name, address, city, state, zip and phone number. So, when telemarketers buy the TPS they get information that must match a record in their calling database. Thus, if the DMA's TPS was intended to stop telemarketing calls, it would require PHONE NUMBER ONLY.

Private Citizen's do-not-call list (the Private Citizen Directory ) does not include your address. It includes (alphabetically) our members'; names, city, state and zip code in one table and their telephone numbers (in numerical order) in another table.  Unlike the TPS, it is impossible to use the Private Citizen Directory as a junk mail list or calling list. It can only be used as a do-not-call list, and all information to effectuate that end is included in the Directory.

The DMA's TPS is set up in such a way so as to allow its use as a junk call or junk mail list. Indeed, this writer is aware of its use as such.  And since the DMA will not disclose how many copies of the TPS it sells to junk mailers and junk callers, or who those junk mailers/callers are, there is no way for consumer organizations to track how many use it as a marketing list.