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Kokua Line
Question: I received a letter from MCI WorldCom offering 5,000 United Airlines miles if I subscribed to its service. I was incensed because my phone number, with area code, was shown through the window in the envelope. I am unlisted and thought my phone number wouldn't be given or sold to any company. I called Hawaiian Tel and was told that "every time you enter a contest and fill in your information" or "buy something," your information can be sold to other companies. He gave me numbers to call to register my complaint. Although I was told my name has been removed from MCI's mailing lists, I still plan to file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission. Is there anything else that can be done to protect our privacy? Telemarketers find
unlisted numbersAnswer: MCI spokeswoman Kristian King apologized, saying it was an "accident" that your number was revealed.
"It was an error in our printing; it is not a standard mailing (procedure)," she said.
GTE Hawaiian Tel spokesman Keith Kamisugi said he could not speculate on how MCI got your number and King said she could not say specifically either.
But Kamisugi said if you request an unlisted and private number with GTE, the number is kept confidential by the company. So "there is value for paying for that service," he said.
However, there are numerous ways for telemarketers to get phone numbers, especially if you're listed in the local telephone directory, said Beth Givens, director of the nonprofit Privacy Rights Clearinghouse in San Diego.
But even if your number is unlisted, "random digit dialing" by automatic dialing devices easily can come up with your number, she said.
And, when you call a toll-free or 900 number, your number may be "captured" by a system called Automatic Number Identification, which automatically identifies and stores your number.
According to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, your number then can be matched with other computerized lists and street address directories to come up with your name and address.
That information is then added to a database that may be sold to other telemarketers.
You can find out more about this by checking www.privacyrights.org on the Internet.
Once you get an unwanted telemarketing call, ask that your name be removed from the company's phone list. The burden now is on individual consumers to do that for each and every telemarketing call.
However, the Federal Trade Commission "is considering the notion of requiring a nationwide "Do Not Call' list," Givens said.
If that happens, you'd only have to register your desire not to be called only once, she said.
Mahalo
On Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 12, I couldn't find the Haseko parking garage, so I ended up at a credit union parking lot, where a man and woman were standing. When I asked them for directions, they hopped into their red car and asked me to follow. They led me right to the entrance of the Haseko garage. This handicapped senior citizen appreciates their kindness. -- No name
Auwe
Is this your son? On Jan. 6, between Waipio-Gentry and Pearl City, a young man was speeding, tailgating and zipping in and out of lanes in his new blue-green Ford. Please teach him to be a responsible driver. -- No name
Need help with problems? Call Kokua Line at 525-8686,
fax 525-6711, or write to P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu 96802.
Email to kokualine@starbulletin.com