It’s bad news for consumers as the Federal government shuts down for the first time in 17 years. One of the agencies closed until further notice is the Federal Trade Commission. This includes the Do Not Call List, where consumers register their phone numbers to avoid unsolicited telemarketing calls.
Consumers attempting to access the FTC’s main site to file a complaint, or get helpful information through its Consumer Blog, were greeted today with this:
Federal Trade Commission and Do Not Call List Shut Down
The temporary Federal Trade Commission website reads:
Unfortunately, the FTC is closed due to the government shutdown.
- The FTC Premerger Notification Office will be open to accept HSR filings.
- Consumers may file FOlA requests, but they will not be processed.
- Consumers cannot file complaints or register for Do Not Call.
- All public workshops, roundtables, hearings and conferences are postponed until further notice.
- We hope to be open soon.
The FTC’s Twitter account, which has also been an excellent resource for consumer information, is also offline due to the government shutdown. An official FTC Tweet on the morning of October 1, 2013, read:
The FTC has closed its helpful Twitter account until further notice due to Tuesday’s government shutdown.
Alternative Help For Consumers with Complaints
The good news is that sites like Scambook are still open and ready to help you with your consumer complaints! If you need to file a grievance about a business, click here to submit a report to Scambook.
If you’re looking for information, you can also search our extensive complaint database, see what’s trending on Scambook Insights or get more consumer info right here on our blog.
We’ve also got a list of contact information for your State Attorney General. (State and local governments aren’t affected by the current Federal shutdown.)
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is also still available for the time being.
Stay tuned to Scambook for the latest consumer threats, scam alerts and other info you need to stay safe.
Meanwhile, let’s hope the government shutdown is resolved as soon as possible so useful agencies like the FTC can start helping consumers again.
See Also
Lawsuit Shuts Down More Annoying Robocall Telemarketing Scams
A Revolutionary New Way to Block Robocalls and Telemarketing Scams?
Do Not Call List Celebrates 10th Anniversary with $7.5 Million Telemarketing Settlement
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