You might think that the implementation of the National Do-Not-Call Registry would have ended all annoying sales calls to your home. But it seems that every time a new law is created to prevent phone abuse, there is a new method invented that twists and slides right around the legislation. Here are some common examples, some that may be new to you so keep your website handy to pull up the reverse phone lookup to gain as much information as possible on reporting these companies.

Of course reverse phone lookup will not help in a case where you have given the business your permission to call. Companies are now hard at work to trick you into giving your permission for allowing them to call. These types of telemarketing techniques are sneaky but not illegal. You really have to stay on your toes to recognize one of these tactics and many times you don't even realize it until it is too late and your phone begins ringing.

Take the coupon for example. Almost everyone has used a coupon as one time or another because they save money. Perhaps you have even received a questionnaire to fill out so manufacturers will know exactly what type of coupons to send you. Read the fine print very closely. It may have a tiny notice along the bottom that says that by completing this form, you are agreeing to allow sponsors and co-sponsors of the offer to telephone you. It might even go on to say that you understand that you are allowing said company to be exempt from the Do-Not-Call list. Receiving a coupon in the mail for a free six-pack of a soft drink can also spell trouble if you are required to fill out your name, address and phone number before redeeming and never noticing the small words that provide a similar message.

Have you ever gone to a local fair where there is a Merchant's Tent set up? You stop at each table and fill out a card to be entered in a contest that is giving away a prize. After a couple of weeks, you notice that you are receiving quite a few phone calls that had to do with one of the booths that you stopped at. There may be an actual prize given away but the real reason that you are asked to sign up is to put you on their customer list. By providing information to a company, you are entering into a relationship with the company and giving them permission to call you for the next 3 months. If you make a purchase, the 90 days turns into 18 months! Requesting your name be removed from their call list can stop this method and if they do not abide by your wishes, the company can be fined up to $11,000.

One of the oldest tricks in the book is when a company calls and announces that you have been selected as a winner to a sweepstakes. Being leery but wanting a prize, you may ask how they got through the Do-Not-Call list. Their response may be that they are not a telemarketing firm but a representative of a company that has been contracted to deliver prizes on their behalf, therefore, they are exempt from the Do-Not-Call list. You should remember two things when this type of phone call materializes. Sweepstakes winners are not notified by phone and chances are very good that the caller is going to require some type of a fee for you to collect your prize. This is a blatant example of fraud because there is no prize and you have just given them your credit card number. Use reverse phone lookup to report this call immediately but chances are they will be gone before anyone can catch up to them to prosecute.

"Get out of credit card debt at very little cost" is a popular phone recording that is making the rounds. Some may even mention some type of Obama relief program to make the program appear more credible. There are very few ways to get out from under credit card debt and a strange company on the other end of the phone is not one of them. Refinancing your mortgage is another example of someone offering you an easy way out when no one else can. These are companies that have managed to slip through the cracks of the law and hope to gain a working relationship with you where you unknowingly give them permission to keep harassing you.

The only way to avoid old and new telemarketing tricks is to pay close attention. Avoid calls from companies that you do not recognize, be careful in returning surveys by mail and if you fill out cards requesting further information on a product or service, realize that you have just given permission for that company to call you. Also, as much as you would like to win a prize, it's not going to happen over the phone. If you do get caught up in a telemarketing purchase, report the incident to the National Fraud Information Center at 800-876-7060. You may feel a little silly for being caught up in a mistake but this is what telemarketers count on. Less than 10% of all fraud victims file a report. This means that they have received 90% of citizen's hard earned money. The authorities will only know if there are new ways around legislation if it is reported.