Say no to telemarketers

The Do Not Call Register is like a ‘do not disturb’ sign that reduces telemarketing. It is quick and easy to add your:

• home phone number
• personal mobile phone number
• fax number

You cannot add a business phone number to the Do Not Call Register. However, if you use a phone for business and personal use, you can register the number as long as your personal use is more than 50% of all use.

Register online or call 1300 792 958. We manage this service for the Australian Government.

After your number has been on the register for 30 days, telemarketers can only call you:

• if you have given consent
• if they are exempt.

Even if you give a company consent to call you, you can tell them at any time if you want to withdraw that consent.

The Do Not Call Register does not block calls, it allows businesses to check their calling lists to remove numbers on the register before making calls.

Telemarketing is any call where the caller aims to sell, advertise or promote goods or services.

If a caller is not trying to sell, promote or advertise something to you, it is not telemarketing. For example, they may call about:

• the collection of a debt
• an appointment reminder
• a product recall for something you have purchased.

Research or survey calls are not telemarketing. They must still follow the other rules that protect you (see below).

If your number is on the Do Not Call Register, you may still receive telemarketing calls and faxes from exempt organisations, such as:

• government organisations or agencies
• registered charities
• educational institutions where you are or were a student
• registered political parties
• members of parliament
• people standing as a candidate in an election.

They must still follow the other rules that protect you (see below).

The Do Not Call Register is unlikely to stop scam calls.

Sometimes it can be difficult to tell the difference between a scam call and a call from a business. A legitimate caller should not mind if you want to verify their identity and who they are calling from. You can do this by independently calling back on a verified number (such as from on a bill or a legitimate website).

Report scams calls to Scamwatch.

Find out more about how to spot – and stop – phone scams.

All telemarketers and research callers have to follow additional rules, even where they are allowed to call numbers on the Do Not Call Register.

Even if the company or person is exempt, they must:

• only call you at certain times of the day
• tell you their name, the name of their employer and (if they are calling on behalf of someone else), their name as well
• tell you why they are calling
• end the call if you ask them to or indicate you do not want to continue
• have caller ID displaying a return number for you to use to get more information
  
   

When telemarketers and researchers can call

They must not call on national public holidays.

When your number is on the Do Not Call Register, you can complain:

• if you receive a telemarketing call and did not give consent
• if you think a company has broken any of the other rules.

 Make a complaint.

We make sure companies follow the rules. If the issue is serious or ongoing, we may investigate and take action.