WGEM.com: Quincy News, Weather, Sports, and RadioMissouri considers allowing cell phones on no-call list

MARION COUNTY, Mo. (WGEM) --Do you get unwanted calls from telemarketers on your cell phone? If you live in Missouri, there's new legislation that could help protect your information and your bill.

Right now the law says cell phones in Missouri cannot be added to the state's "Do Not Call" list but lawmakers are trying to change that.

The new bills say calls and texts from telemarketers, including automated messages could be blocked.

"I get them quite often, they're out of Kansas City or St Louis. I also get a lot of texts as well," said Ewing, Missouri resident, Tonya Duncan.

But Duncan isn't alone.

Cell phone providers say as people ditch their land lines for cell phones, the number of complaints from customers about telemarketers has gone up.

Duncan says she's already put her cell phone on the Federal "Do Not Call List" but she would like the option to put it on Missouri's list too.

"I think it's a good idea because you are paying for your airtime minutes and it's running your bill up more," said Duncan.

Cell phone providers say it's not uncommon for people to get so frustrated, that they choose to change their phone number.

"People will come in and have ten to 15 calls per day from one number and when they answer no one will be there or it will just be an automated system," said store manager at Quincy's Cell Tech, Kyle Niesen.

But experts say that should be your last resort.

To avoid getting the calls in the first place, be sure to read the fine print when entering your phone number anywhere on the Internet.

"Quizzes, forms, surveys, those companies that are doing the surveys, 90 percent are doing it to get your phone number," said Niesen.

Duncan hopes she'll be able to put her cell number on Missouri's do not call list soon, but until then she says, "Just don't answer. If you don't know the number don't answer and I don't."

Under one of the bills, SB484, certain automated calls are exempt:

• that a person has given permission to receive;

• relating to a recent or current business relationship or a current personal relationship;

• that are preceded by a live operator who obtains the receiver's consent to play the message;

• from a public safety agency or other entity notifying a person of an emergency;

• from school districts to students, parents, or employees;

• from employers to employees about work-related issues;

• from a telecommunications company or its directory publisher affiliates made solely to verify the delivery of products or services provided at no charge to the individual called; and

• for the purpose of taking polls on public policy matters, political candidates, or issues to be put before the voters.

For a detailed look at the bill: http://www.senate.mo.gov/12info/bts_web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=2