>>>>With one problem: it's illegal, at least in the US and in Germany.
>>>
>>>It's not illegal in the US, Christof, that's why we're flooded with telemarketers. But it sure as heck ought to be illegal < s >
>>
>>Hi Bruce,
>>
>>Here in Georgia, you can add your name to a state government database for $5.00. If, after adding your name to it, you get a call from a telemarketer, it could result in a stiff fine (5K I think) for the caller.
>
>There's something like that here in MD - a law about telemarketers re-calling after you tell them not to, and you don't need to register, I don't believe. The fine is $500 (I think) for the caller, but it's not easy to enforce. You have to record them both times, and may have to go to court (small claims, I guess) to collect.
>
>There was an interesting "human interest" news story about some woman who was virtually making a living doing this, with fancy recording equipment, professional legal documents, etc., making thousands doing it...and a telemarketing rep who said that even this was such small potatoes to them that it wasn't going to dissuade them from repeating the calls, anyway :)

I saw something like that on one of the TV new digests; maybe ateLine or 60 Minutes, a couple of months ago. That's one reason that CT adopted a law with escalating penalties recently.