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Watching
out for cons
SAFETY TIPS:
Did you know there are approximately 140,000
telemarketing firms operating in the United States. Up to 10
Percent of these may be fraudulent. Consumers lose an
estimated $40 billion each year to criminal telemarketers.
AARP found that 56 percent of telemarketing fraud victims
surveyed were 50 years of age or older.
BE AWARE LEARN THE SIGNS:
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Phone calls from
people who solicit charity donations, offer fantastic
prizes, and No risk guaranteed
investments. However there is a fee that needs to be paid Immediately.
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Phone solicitors that require you
to send money via courier or give a credit card number to claim your
fantastic prize.
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Unsolicited phone calls from
people who seem to know a lot about you and are interested in helping you
win the grand prize, or get rich from no-risk investment.
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Mail solicitations promising big
prizes, wonderful vacations, and no-risk investments and all you
have to pay is the tax, bond fees or delivery charges.
LEARN THE CON LINES:
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“You are the guaranteed winner of
one of three valuable prizes all you need to do is pay a fee.”
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“You have won a FANTASTIC prize
and all you have to do is buy our vitamins.
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“ Donate to charity and win an
amazing vacation.”
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“Magazines at fantastic, low
prices--- I can process you now if you give me your bank account number.”
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“ We can help you get back money
scammed from you ----- all we need is a small fee to cover
the costs.”
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“ Invest in a no-risk investment
opportunity of a lifetime-----but you need to do it today. I’ll send
a courier to pick up your money.”
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“This offer is a limited one time
offer---- you will never get another opportunity like this
again.”
NOW THE TRUTH ABOUT THE CON:
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IF IT SOUNDS TO GO TO BE TRUE,
THEN IT IS.
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Free is free, and foreign
lotteries are illegal.
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Fake charity solicitations
increases around the holidays and after disasters.
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There is no such thing as a
get rich
quick, no-risk investment.
TIPS TO COMBAT THE TELEMARKETING CON:
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Beware of anyone who asks you to
send money or buy anything sight unseen, unless your sure your
dealing with a reputable company.
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NEVER GIVE OUT YOUR CREDIT CARD
INFORMATION OVER THE PHONE.
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Don’t pay for a free prize,
FREE IS FREE.
If a caller tells you the payment is for taxes on the
prize, he or she has just violated federal law.
www.ftc.gov.
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Refuse to be rushed into anything.
The more a caller tries to rush you into buying or sending money, the
more likely he or she is a criminal.
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Offering to send a messenger to
pick up your payment is a clear sign of fraudulent activity.
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Asking the caller to put the offer
in writing rarely offers protection to the consumer. It just often
leads to credible looking letters.
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If you receive a suspicious call
or an unsolicited one that sounds similar to the “Con Lines” call your
state attorney general or your local consumer protection
agency.
TELEMARKETING FRAUD IS A CRIME. IT VIOLATES FEDERAL AND
STATE LAWS AND REGULATIONS.
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations require
the following:
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In the beginning of the call, the
caller must identify the company’s name and, if it’s a sales call,
what is being sold.
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If a prize is offered, you have to
be told immediately that no purchase or payment is necessary to win.
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You must not be asked to pay in
advance for services. Pay for services only after they are actually
delivered.
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You must not be called before
eight in the morning and after nine in the evening your local time.
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You must not be called repeatedly
or be intimidated by the caller. You must be told the costs and
restrictions before you pay for products or services.
You can contact the
Louisiana Attorney General’s Office Consumer Protection Unit
at
www.ag.state.la.us or call
1-800-351-4889.
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