Hanging Up on Telephone Fraud Natalie avoided dark alleys and other situations where she thought she might be robbed. Yet, when she got a telephone call from a polite young man who said he was trying to work his way through college, she never considered the possibility that he might be trying to steal her money. Natalie didn't realize until it was too late that a telephone can be used as easily as a gun to commit a theft. Even then, she was reluctant to admit she'd been swindled. According to the National Fraud Information Center, there are an estimated 14,000 illegal telemarketing operations that swindle thousands of victims every day.
Older adults are frequent targets.
In actuality, illegal telemarketing is a serious crime, punishable by heavy fines and long prison sentences. Every telephone call you receive from a stranger, no matter how enticing the offer may seem, should be handled the same way - with caution. Legitimate companies are willing to send written information about their products and services. It's illegal for contests or sweepstakes to require payment to enter or claim a prize. Once your money or financial information is in a fraudulent telemarketer's hands, chances are you've lost it forever.