Thanks Nautilus, I think that email has been circulating for a couple of years now. The do not call register is legit.
We have a private number (landline), as a consequence we very rarely get telemarketers, we got one the other day and I insisted on finding out where they got the number from, when I told him he had a private number he got off the line very quickly and was most apologetic so the message must be getting through to them.

Hi Deanna, I like the polar bear.

MPs and charities are not restricted by 'do not call' registration, however I do not know if that is the case with silent numbers (we have had one for years to separate business and personal calls).

The take-up of mobiles, for an increasingly itinerant population in the place of landlines, has made it harder to keep in touch with acquaintances. On top of that there is the churn in internet service providers, which can result in loss of addresses.

I lost a mobile recently and with it the data therein.

Deanna, that's an interesting site (Hoax Slayer). They must have set up in competition to Snopes, maybe. Anyway, very handy and will bookmark, thanks.
Yes, re the DoNotCall register....it has been marvellous. Very few calls now, and one can even request individual charities to remove you from their list if you wish.
One call got through one day, and I just asked them for their phone number at home, so I could ring them and intrude on their private life.