Do you get too many calls from telemarketers and salespeople? This guide shows you how to register with the U.S. government in order to prevent future calls.

1. List up to three phone numbers at a time.
2. Register by phone if you don't have email.
3. Wait 31 days before beginning to file complaints.
4. Stop calls from specific companies by asking them directly.
5. Calls from political organizations and charities aren't covered by the list.

• The United States National Do Not Call Registry can help you to eliminate telemarketers from your home life. It's free to register, and as soon as your registration becomes active, most telemarketers and salespeople should stop calling you. If they do not, you can file a complaint with the registry.

(Photo by Courtney Icenhour)

• If you don't have an email account, you won't be able to register online. However, you can easily register by phone.

1. Dial 1-888-382-1222 on the phone you wish to register.
2. Press "1" to hear the menus in English, or "2" for Spanish.
3. When you begin hearing options for the next menu, press "1" to register your number.
4. Enter your entire phone number, beginning with your area code.
5. If you get a call from a telemarketer at the phone number you registered after 31 days have passed, you can file a complaint against the caller. Make sure to note either the name of the company or its phone number.

Telemarketers always call at the most inconvenient times. (Photo by Ruth Elkin)

• You can register for the do not call list online as long as you have a valid email address.

1. Visit the website of the government Do Not Call Registry.
2. Click the button that reads "Register Now."
3. Enter the phone number or numbers (up to three) you wish to register, including their area codes and without using spaces or periods.
4. You'll need to enter your email address twice: once in the field marked "Email Address," and again where it reads "Confirm Email Address."
5. Wait to receive an email from the registry.
6. Follow the link supplied in the email to finish registering.

• Even if you don't want to register for the national list, you can still prevent specific, individual companies from calling you by asking them to put you on their do not call list the next time they contact you.

• Hopefully, this will be the end of your telemarketing hassles. Remember, however, that certain exempt organizations, such as political groups and charities, are not covered by the list. Also, if you already have a business connection with a company, they are not covered either.

• Federal Trade Commission: National Do Not Call Registry

• Federal Trade Commission: Q&A -- The National Do Not Call Registry (October, 2007)

• National Do Not Call Registry

• National Do Not Call Registry: Register Your Home or Mobile Phone Number

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