NCJ Number
140907
Journal
Topics in Crime Prevention Dated: (1992) Pages: 3-8
Date Published
1992
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Resources are identified to help prevent telemarketing and telephone fraud, mail fraud, investment fraud, and health fraud.
Abstract
Everyone who has a telephone represents a target of con artists, and telemarketing fraud has grown in recent years. For example, pay-per-call 900 telephone numbers often offer contest prizes, bogus products, and suspect services. In another popular scam, computer hackers on college campuses sell long-distance telephone services to students at extremely low fee. In addition, con artists steal phone card numbers, often posing as a telephone company investigator or law enforcement officer. Businesses with Private Branch Exchange systems often do not realize they are also vulnerable to toll fraud through remote access and voice mail features. The Mail Fraud Statute protects consumers from any type of fraudulent scheme that uses the mail in any way. An estimated $10 billion a year is lost to investment fraud, and investment swindlers have a range of options at their disposal (land sales, timeshare, commodities and futures trading, franchies, financial planning services, gold and silver, rare coins, and oil and gas leases). In health fraud, con artists play on people's desire to find shortcuts to better health and miracle cures for chronic conditions and fatal diseases. Elderly Americans alone spend an estimated $10 billion yearly on questionable or fraudulent health products and services. Organizations to contact to obtain information about fraud are listed.