Sweepstakes, warranty cards and charitable requests all provide
ways for fraudulent telemarketers to get your name and phone
number. This year’s Georgia Consumer Protection Week, Feb. 4-8,
focuses on limiting the damage these scoundrels cause.
“Telemarketing fraud tends to target older adults,” said Michael
Rupured, co-chair of Georgia’s Consumer Fraud Task Force.
Rupured, a consumer
economics specialist with the University of Georgia College of
Family and Consumer Sciences, said the frauds who do these
things are pros.
Telemarketing Frauds Are Pros
“They quickly assess your vulnerabilities,” he said. “They’re so
good they can persuade people who know better to give out credit
card information for bogus products.”
Nationally, telemarketing fraud is one of the top consumer fraud
complaints. These scams bilk Americans of $40 billion each year.
They cost Georgians as much as $500 million.
One of the GCPW goals this year is to get more people to join the
Georgia No Call List.
More than 280,000 Georgians have paid the $5 it takes to be
placed on the list. The GNCL notifies telemarketers nationwide of
people who don’t want to get calls.
Join ‘No Call List’
“Joining the ‘No Call List’ helps stop this sort of fraud before
it starts,” Rupured said. Charities and businesses with which you
already have a relationship are exempt from the list.
A number of groups are working with the Governor’s Office of
Consumer Affairs on the issue. UGA Extension Service FACS county agents,
agencies on aging and AARP
chapters all have videos, brochures and leaders’ guides they
can use to teach Georgians about telemarketing fraud and how to
prevent it.
“Telemarketing fraud is still a major problem in Georgia and
across the country,” said GOCA administrator Barry Reid. “Not
only do the criminals seek money from their victims under false
pretenses, but they also seek personal information so they can
take over their victims’ bank accounts, create new bank accounts,
make charges on credit cards or open charge accounts, all using
the name and good credit of the victim.”
How to Recognize Fraud
The eight-page brochure tells how to recognize fraud. It shows,
too, how to keep legitimate companies from including your name in
subscription lists they sell to potential marketers. It also
explains how to check references and lists questions to ask
telemarketers to find out if they’re legitimate.
The brochure details some of the more common types of
telemarketing fraud, such as prize offers, lotteries,
disaster-related solicitations, investments and travel
packages.
Senior centers and nursing homes will have programs, and Rupured
has a series of one-page fact sheets that will go to Meals on
Wheels recipients in some parts of the state.
Shut-ins a Key Target
“Shut-ins are a key target audience for fraudulent
telemarketers,” he said. “We want to give them the information
they need to avoid this crime.”
“As with most crimes, the best cure for the growing disease of
consumer fraud is prevention,” said Georgia Secretary of
State Cathy Cox. “That’s why educational campaigns like
Georgia Consumer Protection Week are invaluable tools to help
Georgians make wise decisions in the marketplace and avoid
falling prey to scam artists.”
To be placed on the Georgia No Call List, call toll-free
1-877-426-6225. Or visit www.ganocall.com. To get the
telemarketing fraud education materials, call GOCA at (404)
656-4482. Or call your UGA Extension county office.
