Did you get a call from 888-382-1222?

A chain email is being circulated once again (this email has circulated in the past), prompting people to call the government's Do Not Call list (which is legitimate, but unnecessary if you've already done it), and then asking the email recipient to forward the email.

The email received reads as follows:

REMINDER..... all cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sales calls..... YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS

To prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone: 888-382-1222.

It is the National DO NOT CALL list It will only take a minute of your time.. It blocks your number for five (5) years. You must call from the cell phone number you want to have blocked. You cannot call from a different phone number.

HELP OTHERS BY PASSING THIS ON .. It takes about 20 seconds.

The only accurate piece of information in this email is the phone number, which is the government's Do Not Call number. The rest of the information is false. Cell phone numbers are not going public this month. The Do Not Call List permanently blocks your number, not just for 5 years—so once you register a phone number, there's no need to re-register it. And finally, there's no need to pass on the email—by this time, most people are already aware of the Do Not Call list, and sending unsolicited emails around will only serve to aggravate people.