Mystery Political Call: Is Blocking Numbers Legal?

[TheStatutoryApe]

Today I received a phone call from one of those automated political telephone campaign recordings. The number was blocked though!
That really suprised me. As far as I know businesses of any sort must be listed and can not block their number. I realize that political campaigns, legally speaking at least, are not the same as businesses but I was thinking that the same rules would still apply. Am I wrong? Does anyone know if this has changed or if there is an excption somewhere for these sorts of calls?

 

[cronxeh]

I got a call like that once, but I picked up the phone and the automata said 'Oh I am sorry this message was intended for your answering machine'

I guess you'd know who it was about from the message, and then you could pay a little visit to their house

 

[gravenewworld]

Yes its legal. Charities and Political compaigns are still allowed to call your house, even if you are on the national do not call list.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

Yes its legal. Charities and Political compaigns are still allowed to call your house, even if you are on the national do not call list.

That's not what I mean. Their number was blocked, it didn't show up on the caller ID so I had no idea who was calling me and had no number for reference after the call. As far as I know it is against the law for commercial phone lines to block their number and I had assumed that such would be the case for political and charity type lines aswell.

 

[Evo]

That's not what I mean. Their number was blocked, it didn't show up on the caller ID so I had no idea who was calling me and had no number for reference after the call. As far as I know it is against the law for commercial phone lines to block their number and I had assumed that such would be the case for political and charity type lines aswell.

No, not for businesses, but telemarketers are supposed to have theirs shown. Were they asking for money?

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

It was just a messege promoting a candidate for fire chief or some such thing. They weren't asking for money.
I'm not sure about other places but around here, as far as I know, businesses are not allowed to block their numbers telemarketer or otherwise. I'm not sure about numbers like this one though I had always assumed only lines for private persons were allowed to be blocked.

 

[C1ay]

Yes, it's legal

That's not what I mean. Their number was blocked, it didn't show up on the caller ID so I had no idea who was calling me and had no number for reference after the call. As far as I know it is against the law for commercial phone lines to block their number and I had assumed that such would be the case for political and charity type lines aswell.

Not only were they given a loophole to continue annoying you even if you're on the do not call list but they can do so in a manner that prevents you from being able to block them. Even if you have a service like the "Privacy Selector Service" some of them have computer programs that record a fake name so the call goes through. I've had several of these :(

 

[Pengwuino]

Fire chief elections that competitive statutory? :)

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

Fire chief elections that competitive statutory? :)

I live in Huntington Beach. This is where yuppies with too much money and time on their hands run for local offices because they have nothing better to do.

 

[Smurf]

I don't mind political telemarketers. I usually make fun of them when they call. Just totally take the piss out of them. I actually got the liberals to hang up on ME once.