What are the contact centre hours?
You can call the Do Not Call Register contact centre on 1300 792 958 from Monday to Friday, between 8.30 am and 5.00 pm.
You can also complete an online enquiry or complaint form at any time.
Why should I register my number with the Do Not Call Register?
The Do Not Call Register allows you to reduce the amount of unwanted telemarketing calls and marketing faxes you receive.
Telemarketers and fax marketers are required by law to stop contacting you once you're on the register. Registration is free.
After registering, how soon will I notice a reduction in calls?
A reduction in calls should be noticeable after 30 days.
Telemarketers and fax marketers have 30 days from the date you register to check their lists and stop contacting you.
What if I change my mind? Can I take my number off the Do Not call Register?
Yes, you can remove your number at any time.
If you wish to take your number off the register you should telephone 1300 792 958, or write to enquiries@donotcall.gov.au attaching this form.
Why do you need my email address?
Email addresses are requested as part of the online registration process to confirm your request for registration.
If you would prefer to not provide your email address to the Do Not Call Register, you can simply use your phone to register your number by calling 1300 792 958. The process to register via phone is able to validate your number directly or via a callback process and therefore does not require your email address.
More information on our Privacy Policy can be found here.
Can I register my business number or fax?
Business telephone numbers are not eligible for registration. Business numbers used primarily for transmitting and/or receiving faxes may be registered.
In the case of a number used for both personal and business use (including dual-purpose phone/fax lines), the number may be eligible for registration if it is used mostly for private/domestic purposes
What happens when a number is registered but is ineligible?
The Do Not Call Register operator must remove any number it finds to be ineligible for registration.
If a number is considered to be ineligible, the operator will contact the account-holder or nominee to find out why they believe the number to be eligible. A delegate of the ACMA will then consider the information and relevant eligibility criteria, and notify the account-holder or nominee of the outcome.
How do I change my email address?
To update the email address you used when registering online, you will need to re-register your number with your new email address.
The normal 30-day wait for registration to take effect does not apply if you re-register your number with a new email address. Re-register number with new email address.
How do I change registered numbers?
In order to change your registered number you will need to remove the old number and re-register with your new number.
If you need to change your registered number, you should remove the old number by telephoning 1300 792 958, or writing to enquiries@donotcall.gov.au.
You can register a new number using the online form.
If I’m on the register, can a charity call me for donations?
Many calls to solicit donations are made by, or on behalf of, charities. These organisations are permitted to call numbers listed on the register.
Telemarketing calls, seeking donations, made by organisations other than registered charities or registered charitable institutions are not permitted.
Does the Do Not Call legislation apply to overseas calls and faxes?
Yes
The Do Not Call Register legislation does not just apply to companies making telemarketing calls or sending marketing faxes from within Australia. It also applies to:
- businesses within Australia that use overseas-based telemarketers or fax marketers to help solicit sales; and
- businesses based overseas making calls or sending faxes to Australian numbers.
If you do receive calls or faxes from overseas telemarketers or fax marketers 30 days after you register your number on the Do Not Call Register, you can lodge a complaint.
Will registering my number stop me from receiving SMS Marketing?
No, registering your mobile number will not prevent you from receiving SMS marketing.
SMS marketing is covered by the Spam Act 2003. The Spam Act also regulates the sending of commercial emails and other electronic message types such as MMS and instant messages.
If you would like to lodge a complaint about the receipt of spam, or to obtain further information, you can visit the ACMA’s website.
Does the DNCR ‘block’ numbers to prevent them from calling you?
No, the Register does not have any technological impact on your telephone or fax line and it does not block or physically stop other parties from contacting you.
The Do Not Call Register requires telemarketers to submit a list of phone numbers that they wish to call to the Register Operator. The Register identifies any numbers on that list that are not permitted to be called because they are registered, and they are removed from calling lists.
It is not possible to purchase a device that will only block telemarketing calls, as there is no way of identifying all the numbers that telemarketing calls will originate from. Your telephone service provider cannot block ‘all scam calls’ for the same reason.
It is possible to obtain products that can help you to screen calls so that you can easily identify and answer calls from known numbers. You can also buy products that will block calls from unidentified or unknown numbers but these devices are likely to block more than just telemarketing calls.
If I’m on the register, can an organisation calling me to participate in a survey also attempt to sell me a product?
A call made to carry out opinion-polling or market research is not a telemarketing call but some calls have more than one purpose. If a call contains any telemarketing elements such as a sales offer, advertisement or promotion, even if it is secondary to the main purpose of the call, then it is a ‘telemarketing call’ and must not be made to a number on the register. If this has happened to you and you are on the register you can lodge a complaint.
Why am I talking to a robot?
Telemarketing and market research calls sometimes use a recorded or synthetic voice.
This practice is allowed under the telemarketing rules and is particularly common for opinion polling during election periods. . The telemarketing rules require that before the end of the call, the call recipient is provided with a mechanism, such as pressing a button, to obtain information about the caller, the entity that caused the call to be made and the contact details for these entities.
I’m getting threatening calls. Will registering my number help?
Registering your number on the Do Not Call Register will not stop you from receiving nuisance or life threatening calls.
If you receive a life threatening call, you should contact the police on 000.
If you receive a continued pattern of unwelcome calls, you can contact your telephone service provider to lodge a complaint so that your service provider may take action under the “Handling of Life Threatening and Unwelcome Calls” Industry Code.
Can registering my number stop me from getting scam calls?
Registering your number with the Do Not Call Register will not prevent you from receiving phone calls or faxes related to scams.
The ACMA has undertaken a Scam Technology Project to identify practical technical solutions to scam activity. More information is available here. We worked with industry to understand what network management and call-blocking strategies can be implemented. As a result new rules have been put in place requiring industry to detect, trace and block scam calls.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) administers consumer protection provisions under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 that are directly relevant to scams and provides a SCAMwatch service.
The best way to protect yourself from scams is to simply hang up on the caller. You should never give an unsolicited caller any personal or financial information, access to your computer or your credit card details.