How to Avoid Telemarketing Scams

Written 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 torepparttar Federal Trade Commission, telemarketing fraud now costs Americans at least $40 billion a year.

Some ofrepparttar 127541 most common scams include:
Prize offers: The National Fraud Information Center lists prize or sweepstakes offers asrepparttar 127542 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 inrepparttar 127543 809 or other unfamiliar area code. The call may claim to concern an overdue account or a sick relative. In reality,repparttar 127544 call is a fraud. You’re being asked to call a pay-per-call service inrepparttar 127545 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. Oftenrepparttar 127546 promoted travel deal requires you to pay hidden charges for either an expensive hotel room or forrepparttar 127547 full cost of travel forrepparttar 127548 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 ofrepparttar 127549 above scams, you could get a call promising to get back or “recover”repparttar 127550 money you’ve already lost. Of course, this comes at a price.

How to identify telephone fraud
Beware, fraudulent telemarketers often feed their potential victimsrepparttar 127551 same lines. If you hear one ofrepparttar 127552 following messagesrepparttar 127553 best thing to do is say “no thank you” and endrepparttar 127554 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 uprepparttar 127555 payment from your home

Beware of telephone scams

Written by David McDonough


Beware of telephone scams
It’s illegal. It’s deceptive. It’s costly. But getting “slammed” (having your long-distance telephone carrier switched without your permission) is becoming an increasingly common occurrence. Three of every five people surveyed byrepparttar National Consumers League report that they or someone they know has been a victim of slamming. Slamming ranks asrepparttar 127540 fifth most reported telemarketing incident byrepparttar 127541 National Consumers League. The growing number of slamming complaints suggests that this illegal practice costs customers more than $100 million each year. Current Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations state that it is illegal for a company to switch your long distance service without a signed (or verbal and verified by a third party) authorization form fromrepparttar 127542 consumer. To avoid getting slammed and joiningrepparttar 127543 above statistics, consumers must first understand how it happens.

How it happens
Scenario #1: A telemarketer may call and try to switch you to a different long distance carrier. Even though you say “no,” there is a possibility thatrepparttar 127544 person will switch you anyway.

Scenario #2: A check may arrive inrepparttar 127545 mail. By signing and cashing this check, you may be signing up for a new long distance carrier.

Scenario #3: Entering a contest may give you a chance to win a car or trip, or evenrepparttar 127546 surprise (in fine print) of a new long distance carrier as well.

Various other slamming scenarios exist, including small companies that buy telephone service from larger carriers, such as AT&T, at wholesale rates and then resell this service at a retail rate. These carriers may try to confuse customers by associatingrepparttar 127547 large carrier’s name with their own service and rates, which is like trying to compare apples to oranges.

How to avoid it
You are already onrepparttar 127548 right track to side-stepping a “slam” by educating yourself. Simply being aware that slamming can occur is important. Always readrepparttar 127549 fine print to find out exactly what it is you are signing up for. In addition, be certain to: Know who your current long distance carrier is. Call your local telephone company to find out.

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