A press release went out last week announcing a new outfit claiming to be able to remove people from mailing, telemarketing and “spam” lists. The firm can’t possibly make good on its claims.
“The Privacy Council Launches: 'Together We Can End SPAM, Junk Mail and Unsolicited Phone Calls',” said the headline of the release.
“The formation of a Global Privacy Council designed to set firm standards around online privacy has been announced today,” said the lead. “In addition to bringing together industry leaders to protect personal privacy on the Internet, The Privacy Council provides a low-cost service for individuals who wish to be removed from the major junk mail, telemarketer and SPAM e-mail lists.”
There is simply no way this organization can get people removed from “spam” lists, however one wants to define spam. With the exception of the Direct Marketing Association’s cockamamie E-mail Preference Service that, according to sources, very few marketers use, nothing pretending to be a third-party global e-mail suppression file exists. It simply can’t.
The vast majority of spam is coming from criminal botnets based in places such as Russia. The Privacy Council simply cannot opt people out of these onslaughts. Criminal spammers don’t honor opt-out requests. Marketers on the right side of the law process unsubscribes themselves.
Another whopper appears in The Privacy Council’s frequently asked questions section at PrivacyCouncil.org under how much its services cost.
“A one-time $9 contribution covers the expense of corresponding with each agency and list. We also monitor and continue to remove you from lists for $6 per month. You may cancel the monthly at any time, however keep in mind that lists such as the Do Not Call Registry only last for 6 months and then you are added back on.”
The Federal Trade Commission doesn’t allow third parties to register people’s phone numbers on the do-not-call list, and national do-not-call registrations do not expire.
“The FTC does not allow private companies or other such third parties to register consumers for the National Do Not Call Registry,” says the FTC in a document about the registry. “Web sites or phone solicitations that claim they can or will register a consumer’s name or phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry — especially those that charge a fee — are almost certainly a scam.”
I didn’t say it. The FTC did.
After a call from this newsletter to the firm’s marketing manager, Keri Hill, asking how The Privacy Council could possibly make good on its claims, she responded with the following e-mail from her boss.
“Hi,
“Keri said you may be doing an article on The Privacy Council. I wanted to pass along my thoughts:
“We act on behalf of our consumers. We believe consumers should have control over when they are called, who they get mail from and who they get e-mail from.
“We are working with some of the major lists and databases now and will continue to form cooperative relationships with 3rd party agencies. We intend to set new standards, driven by the consumers themselves.
“Currently consumers may make an upfront a monthly contribution, and in exchange we work on their behalf to remove their information from databases, as well monitor the status of their personal information.
“We believe the most important issue facing our industry is the reduction of wasteful, hype-driven marketing that pollutes our inboxes, disrupts our family meals and destroys millions of trees.
“We are a for profit group, however currently 100% of all revenues have gone back into research and development of this service.
“If you have any questions about the Privacy Council, [or parent firms] Yovia and or HD Publishing Group, or if you or organization would like to join the Privacy Council, please don't hesitate to contact me.
“Jalali Hartman”
