The largest telemarketing investigation in history has uncovered a huge range of scams and ripoffs. The federal trade commission's investigation, called "Operation Tele-phoney" has revealed more than half-a million victims nationwide, and more than $100 million dollars in losses.
Some victims have been contacted on the phone, some on the internet.
And a lot of viewers have contacted me, to tell me about how these scams work.
One viewer wrote in saying that they received a phone call, from someone claiming to be with the the Department of Treasury, or the "Tax Rebate Department", promising a quick rebate, deposited directly into your bank account.
Chuck Harwood, of the Seattle office of the Federal Trade commission says, "The first thing people need to know about these economic stimulus checks is that the irs is not going to contact them, asking for personal information, social security number. if you filed a tax return, the irs will follow up with a check."
Our viewer was smart, and knew that somebody looking for your bank account number is looking for information to clean you out.
But hundreds of thousands of others have been sucked in by cons perpetrated by foreclosure consultants, credit and debt consolidation businesses, credit card companies and timeshare companies.
The head of the Federal Trade Commission, Steve Kavicic says the public has had enough and his agency is doing something about it.
"Fraud is one of the worst poisons to commerce, and telemarketing fraud is one
of its worst manifestations.This is
a major step ahead in the efforts of public law enforcement agencies.. to
attack and deter fraud."
Many of the scams involved the elderly, including one company that told
consumers they would lose medicare benefits if they didn't sign up for its
prescription drug plan.
For more information on this crack down, and the companies nationwide that are in trouble with the law, click here:
http://7thspace.com/headlines/281803/ftc_announces_operation_tele_phoney_agencys_largest_telemarketing_sweep.html
I'm Bill Wixey, keeping your money safe.