The One Way to Prevent Telemarketing Fraud - Call Senator Obama for an Example
Illinois Channel: Sen. Obama Wants FTC to Crack-down on Fraud Aimed at Seniors Senator Obama, as the result of reading the New York Times's article on list brokering wrote the FTC and asked:
"The FTC is charged with protecting consumers from fraud, deception, and unfair business practices. The Commission is responsible for enforcing our nation's consumer protection laws and developing rules and procedures to protect and educate consumers. Given this clear mandate, the widespread and sophisticated abuse of many seniors raises a number of questions:
What if anything is the FTC doing to assess and address the particular consumer protection challenges faced by seniors or other groups of American consumers who may be especially vulnerable to abuse?
In particular, what is the FTC doing to regulate the sale of telemarketing databases to companies that are under investigation or have been prosecuted for fraud?
How have FTC resources been allocated to protect rising numbers of seniors who are conducting remote consumer transactions at increasing rates? Are additional resources necessary and for what priority purposes?
What if any programs exist to assist seniors with questions or complaints about marketing practices of which they may have been victims? What are the utilization rates of these programs over the past ten years? Have these programs been evaluated, and with what results?
Is there adequate coordination between the FTC, the Federal Reserve, and the Department of Justice to ensure effective prevention and prosecution of marketing abuse?
What if any multi-agency initiatives are currently underway or planned for the near future? Please give specific examples of enforcement actions that have been taken recently against data brokers, telemarketers, or enabling financial institutions.
What if any changes to regulatory authority or direction are necessary to enable the FTC to fulfill its consumer protection mandate in light of evolving marketing, communication, and transaction technologies?"
Prevention of this fraud is not rocket science -telemarketers succeed because people answer their telephone expecting the caller to be a family or friend, but not foe.
But foes are phoning -put a lock on it and buy a telephone answering machine. Don't answer calls - let friends and family know that this is your policy. The telephone is no more your friend than unsolicited email. (Do you think that Senator Obama answers his own phone -use him as an example and buy your own phone security for $10.)
