![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sepdetYeah, yeah, I know, first world problems. But think of the trees!
P.S. If you agree with me that phone book deliveries should be OPT IN, there's a petition for that. I added my signature.
Description of Complaint:
On the cover and inside AT&T YP's "Real White Pages," including the 2013-2014 directory just delivered to my home, it says that consumers can opt out of unwanted phone book deliveries by registering at: www.yellowpagesoptout.com.
However, this is not true. I registered on that site over a year ago, opting out of all phone books. All of AT&T's COMPETITORS honored my request. AT&T did not.
When I called AT&T to ask why, the operator said that they do not actually honor opt-out registrations made through yellowpagesoptout.com. This means that AT&T is encouraging us to block their competitors' phone books, under the false promise that we can opt out of theirs. Isn't that some kind of unfair business practice?
The operator told me that, notwithstanding what the cover of their phone book actually SAID, I must opt out on AT&T's proprietary website, mydirectories.yp.com. This site requires us to fill out our email address, presumably so AT&T can send us email spam.
Furthermore, AT&T's operator informed me that even after I'd opted out, AT&T would call me each time they had a new directory, and deliver it to my doorstep unless I answered the phone to confirm I had opted out. This means AT&T's opt out program is a sham. Most people do not work at home, so they wouldn't be able to answer the phone. I DO work at home, and do not want to be interrupted while I'm working.
As far as I can tell, AT&T can pretend that they're being environmentally friendly by claiming they have an opt-out program, but in fact, all they're doing is blocking their competitors from delivering phone books to us, collecting our email addresses, and then STILL delivering phone books to us after we've said no. (And by the way, she also said that I had to re-register for this sham opt out program every 3 years.)
Desired Outcome Description:
1. No phone books delivered to my address until I ask for them. PERIOD.
2. AT&T should honor opt-out registrations on the yellowpagesoptout.com site.
3. Or, even better, AT&T should just switch to an OPT IN program for all its directories.
On the cover and inside AT&T YP's "Real White Pages," including the 2013-2014 directory just delivered to my home, it says that consumers can opt out of unwanted phone book deliveries by registering at: www.yellowpagesoptout.com.
However, this is not true. I registered on that site over a year ago, opting out of all phone books. All of AT&T's COMPETITORS honored my request. AT&T did not.
When I called AT&T to ask why, the operator said that they do not actually honor opt-out registrations made through yellowpagesoptout.com. This means that AT&T is encouraging us to block their competitors' phone books, under the false promise that we can opt out of theirs. Isn't that some kind of unfair business practice?
The operator told me that, notwithstanding what the cover of their phone book actually SAID, I must opt out on AT&T's proprietary website, mydirectories.yp.com. This site requires us to fill out our email address, presumably so AT&T can send us email spam.
Furthermore, AT&T's operator informed me that even after I'd opted out, AT&T would call me each time they had a new directory, and deliver it to my doorstep unless I answered the phone to confirm I had opted out. This means AT&T's opt out program is a sham. Most people do not work at home, so they wouldn't be able to answer the phone. I DO work at home, and do not want to be interrupted while I'm working.
As far as I can tell, AT&T can pretend that they're being environmentally friendly by claiming they have an opt-out program, but in fact, all they're doing is blocking their competitors from delivering phone books to us, collecting our email addresses, and then STILL delivering phone books to us after we've said no. (And by the way, she also said that I had to re-register for this sham opt out program every 3 years.)
Desired Outcome Description:
1. No phone books delivered to my address until I ask for them. PERIOD.
2. AT&T should honor opt-out registrations on the yellowpagesoptout.com site.
3. Or, even better, AT&T should just switch to an OPT IN program for all its directories.
P.S. If you agree with me that phone book deliveries should be OPT IN, there's a petition for that. I added my signature.
no subject
Date: 2013-02-12 08:15 pm (UTC)That being said, the BBB is not quite as effective as most people think it is (since it is, in part, pay-to-play for high ratings); I would also go report to the FTC, since they are explicitly false advertising. And possibly call or write to AT&T's competitors, since they have both deep pockets and lawyers.
no subject
Date: 2013-02-12 09:26 pm (UTC)I also used Hubpages to write a fairly compelling article on this, with a hopefully-viral drawing that may get pinned.
And I wrote to my governor's office about it. Probably the wrong branch of government, but it was a shot.
I've cued up an editorial written for the LA Times. It MIGHT get in, because I pulled out my copywriting / marketing tricks, which are not usually on display i my LJ, in order to give it the best chance of getting published. i'll hold off to see what comes through with the BBB query before I loose that arrow.
Thanks for the rec about the FTC. also, Verizon is a good suggestion, since they've been lobbying for OPT IN.
no subject
Date: 2013-02-12 09:51 pm (UTC)Go you, using your powers for good. I am approve.
no subject
Date: 2013-02-13 01:27 am (UTC)(Apologies for the awful iPad typos in my last reply, by the way, written while I was at a cafe. They're making me wince.)
no subject
Date: 2013-02-13 01:30 am (UTC)