Sixty Defendants Charged In $300 Million Nationwide Telemarketing Fraud Scheme

[calendria]

 

 

Do You know someone who was defrauded by this scam?  Pass this questionnaire link on to report magazine sales harassment.

https://www.fbi.gov/resources/victim-services/seeking-victim-information/seeking-victims-in-magazine-subscription-scams-investigation

The FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) are seeking victims who may have been defrauded by magazine subscription services from 2000 to the present.

This nationwide telemarketing fraud scheme is being carried out by companies engaging in phony and fraudulent magazine subscription solicitation scams. These companies target elderly and other vulnerable individuals and trick them into unwittingly signing up for expensive magazine subscription packages. The investigation has identified dozens of companies involved in fraudulent magazine sales located within the United States and internationally. The scheme involves tens of thousands of victims and millions of dollars in losses.

If you were fraudulently charged or contacted by a magazine subscription service using deceptive tactics during the time period listed above, please complete this brief questionnaire. Your responses are voluntary but would be useful in the federal investigation and to identify you as a potential victim. Based on the responses provided, you may be contacted by the FBI and asked to provide additional information.

The FBI is legally mandated to identify victims of federal crimes that it investigates and provide these victims with information, assistance services, and resources.

Questionnaire:

Seeking Victims in Magazine Subscription Fraud Investigation

[countrygirl12]

I have never bought magazine scripts from anybody who came to my door or called me on the phone. If I want a magazine I either get it for free from a site like this or I go to the website of the magazine and sign up myself.

[potluck6]

I've gotten some free mag subscription. Oprah which was very boring,people,entertainment weekly. . Gotten an offer to subscribe which I didn't take.  So would never pay more then a dollar for one ,won't happen.

[countrygirl12]

I've gotten some free mag subscription. Oprah which was very boring,people,entertainment weekly. . Gotten an offer to subscribe which I didn't take.  So would never pay more then a dollar for one ,won't happen.

Over the years I have gotten quite a few.  I am getting one I got a free script to years ago and they just started sending it to me again.  Seems like I got the Oprah for a while several years ago.  Most of them went in the trash without me even opening the first page.  If they started sending that trash to me now I would contact them and stop it.

[mrisha]

Glad to hear that.  These scammers will do anything to get your money.  Also getting your personal info.  I get emails from scammers all the time.  They even use the addresses of companies, such as banks etc.  I get at least 10 calls per day that are scams.  They have gone digital and they have no sympathy for anyone they are robbing.

[metsrock69]

It is good to see the scammers getting caught. I also don't buy magazines. I get some free once in a while and those I don,t  even read. 

[BUBBLEGUMBEN10]

I haven't heard of this before,but we have gotten a lot of robocalls lately.
I found out they hang up as soon as you answer it because they're trying to find out if it's a accurate number.
Don't answer any numbers you don't know.

[duremars]

ndeed, I'm pretty sure we can sense a rise in cases like this in the last year. Sitting at home all day makes scammers get creative.

[llugguss]

Honestly with the pandemic happening, I think it was the perfect time for scammers to get working with all the industrialized digitalization that had to be made due to the pandemic. I thankfully escaped from that as I've already had implemented anti-fraud prevention services https://covery.ai/products/device-fingerprinting a few years ago after an incident that is sadly not so uncommon now. I still had a lot of friends in the field that have been hit quite hard by the frauds on the market. I recommended the same company that I got the services from cause I've never had any issue since then and maybe some of you on here could find it useful as well.

[teresa3200]

I'm glad they were caught.

[countrygirl12]

I haven't heard of this before,but we have gotten a lot of robocalls lately.
I found out they hang up as soon as you answer it because they're trying to find out if it's a accurate number.
Don't answer any numbers you don't know.

Do you know what a robo call is?  They do not hang up because you answer- because it is not a real person calling.  If you have voice mail on your phone (as soon as the call connects the computer (robo caller) starts to talk) the voice mail picks up in the middle of their message. I usually do not answer if I don't know the number. But there are legit times when someone you do not know could be trying to get in touch with you so just answering and being a butt is not always the way to handle things. I actually had that happen once. I called a woman and she starts smarting off to me almost immediately. I don't know you. WHY are you calling me. I am busy. I don't have time to talk to you. And basically hangs up on me.  Later she understands WHY I tried to call her that day.  And she is like "nobody called me"  And I told her in front of a large group of people "YES I called you and I tried to talk to you and you said ....... to me and hung up on me"  Sound Familiar"  The call had to do with her mother.  Anyway she just sat there looking stupid and cried.   

It is sad we are to this point in society. If someone speaks to us, looks toward us, knocks on the door, or heaven forbid calls your phone you automatically think they are trying to hurt you or scam you and meet them with hatred.  Idk what the answer is.  People won't answer the phone if they don't know the number and I understand why, and you are right, some of the calls they are just trying to find if it is a working number, and then people who are calling and need to talk to someone refuse to leave a message because people won't answer their phones. 

[pkrahmer]

i am glad to see scammer getting caught. i don't subscribe to magazines anymore.i did a promotional one a few years ago and fortunately had no problems when i concealed it. I also never answer my phone unless i know who it is. 

[potluck6]

There are more lately. Got an email from PayPal saying thank you for my purchase I made no purchase. So I called PayPal and no charge was made. I don't know what they think they'll get.

[berthabutt]

There are more lately. Got an email from PayPal saying thank you for my purchase I made no purchase. So I called PayPal and no charge was made. I don't know what they think they'll get.

                                       It may not have been from PayPal.

[sdenimandlace1]

How are you suppose to remember all the way back to 2000 about magazines. Half the time the one I do order do not get here are have already been looked at.