Between 500 and 1,000 fraudulent telemarkting schemes operate in Canada on any given day, the Ontario Provincial Police say.
Cross-border telemarketing schemes remain among the most pervasive forms of white-collar crime in North America, the OPP warned in a media advisory issued Friday.
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Call Centre (CAFCC), formerly known as Phone Busters, estimates criminal telemarketing boiler rooms operating in Canada take in approximately $1 billion a year.
The biggest trend in mass marketing fraud is the use of counterfeit or altered financial documents, such as cheques, bank drafts or money orders. In March and April 2007, nearly 30 per cent of all complaints received at the CAFCC involved the use of counterfeit financial documents.
Mass-marketing fraud is conducted over the telephone although there are many means of contacting potential victims, such as mail and the Internet. Everyone is vulnerable to mass-marketing fraud, the OPP said, but seniors are targeted most often.
Common types of mass-marketing fraud include advanced-fee loans, employment job evaluations, overpayment / counterfeit cheque scams, fraudulent prize and lottery schemes, fraudulent loan offers, secret shopper scams and fraudulent offers of low-interest credit cards or credit-card protection.
"Be your own detective," an Ontario Provincial Police advisory said. Research the company or individual and what they are offering before agreeing to anything.
The police also suggest calling a relative or friend and discussing any plans before you make any decisions that will put you in financial jeopardy.
For information on the types of schemes involved with mass-marketing, visit the Phone Busters website or the Ministry of Government Services' site.
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