How to Avoid
Telemarketing Scams
By: David McDonough
How to Avoid
Telemarketing Scams
Offers of amazing
investments and
too-good-to-be-true offers
are warning signs of
telephone fraud. According
to the Federal Trade
Commission, telemarketing
fraud now costs Americans at
least $40 billion a year.
Some of the most common
scams include:
Prize offers: The National
Fraud Information Center
lists prize or sweepstakes
offers as the number one
telemarketing scam. Usually
you have to do something to
get your free prize, such as
buy products you don’t
really want or give your
credit card number, “just
for verification.”
Cross-border telephone
calls:
You receive a message on
your voice mail or answering
machine urging you to call a
number in the 809 or other
unfamiliar area code. The
call may claim to concern an
overdue account or a sick
relative. In reality, the
call is a fraud. You’re
being asked to call a
pay-per-call service in the
Caribbean, similar to a 900
number, with charges that
could exceed $25.
Travel packages:
Free or low cost vacations
can end up costing you a
bundle. Often the promoted
travel deal requires you to
pay hidden charges for
either an expensive hotel
room or for the full cost of
travel for the second
person.
Investments:
Consumers lose millions of
dollars to telemarketed “get
rich quick” schemes that
involve gemstones, rare
coins, oil and gas leases,
interactive TV licenses and
other business
opportunities.
Recovery room ploys:
If you’ve fallen prey to any
of the above scams, you
could get a call promising
to get back or “recover” the
money you’ve already lost.
Of course, this comes at a
price.
How to identify telephone
fraud
Beware, fraudulent
telemarketers often feed
their potential victims the
same lines. If you hear one
of the following messages
the best thing to do is say
“no thank you” and end the
call.
Act Now – this offer is only
good for a limited time
You must send money, offer a
credit card or bank account
number
He/she offers to have
someone pick up the payment
from your home
You’ve won a free prize or
trip, all you need to do is
take care of the “postage
and handling,” or other
miscellaneous charges
How to avoid a
telemarketing scam
Do not buy from an
unfamiliar company – If you
are unfamiliar with the
company or organization, ask
that they send you
information about the
products or services it
offers. The Attorney
General’s Office and the
Better Business Bureau are
great resources to check a
company’s licensing and
consumer complaint record.
Do not be pressured into a
decision – Even if the offer
being presented to you has a
time limit, don’t give in to
the high-pressure tactic
unless you are comfortable
with the company and the
offer. If you accept an
offer because it is a “One
time deal” or your “Last
chance,” you are most likely
to be left holding a bill.
Do not give out your credit
card, social security
number, checking account
number or other personal
information to unfamiliar
companies. You would be
surprised how little
information scam artists
need to make unauthorized
charges or alter your
financial identity.
Do put your name on the “do
not call” list to prevent a
telemarketer from calling
you again. Go to this link
http://www.donotcall.gov
to add your number to the
National do not call list.
Do keep a list of a
company’s name and the date
you requested to be put on
its “do not call” list. Keep
a list of those names and
report telemarketers that
continue to call you.
Do exercise your right to
end a conversation with an
individual representing an
unfamiliar company or using
pushy tactics to sell you a
service or product.
Who to call for help:
If an offer sounds
suspicious, or if you have
been victimized by a
fraudulent telemarketer,
there are resources
available to help you.
National Fraud Information
Center 1-800-876-7060 (toll
free)
Federal Communications
Commission 1-888-225-5322
(toll free)
Federal Trade Commission
1-877-382-4357 (toll free)
About the Author
Webmaster and owner of
TheLowestRates.Com, LLC Your
cheap residential long
distance phone service
internet and travel source
