Crimes of Persuasion: How Con Artists Will Steal Your Savings and Inheritance Through Telemarketing Fraud, Investment Schemes and Consumer Scams »

How con artists will steal your savings and inheritance through telemarketing fraud, investment schemes and consumer scams.

The Gold Dust Corporation 5
Con Artists Revealed 9

Telemarketing Operations 22

Major Outbound Losses 22
Sweepstakes Related Scams 27
"One in Five" Prizes 31
Puzzles for Prizes 45
Advance Fee Sweepstakes 47
Reloading 54
Recovery Operations 58

Seniors as Predominant Victims 63

Providing Assistance to Senior Victims 66
Sale of Foreign Lottery Tickets 73

Investment Related Scams 77

Boiler Rooms 79
Deceptions Used to Appear Legitimate 81
Techniques Used in Investment Fraud 84
Abuses of Regulatory Codes 96
Gemstones as a Fraudulent Investment 97
Precious/Base Minerals & Oil and Gas 101
Films and Entertainment Based Fraud 105
Use of Viatical Settlements for Fraud 108
Real Estate Development Investment Fraud 115
Unbelievable Opportunities to Lose Money 117
Blind Pool Investment Offerings 124
High Tech Fraudulent Investments 126
Flogging Radio Frequency Licenses 128
Misuse of IRA and RRSP Investments 133
Commodities, Futures and Options Fraud 137
Fraud in Foreign Exchange 143
Role of Securities Regulators 145
Major Market Investing 158

Minor Outbound Losses 159

Credit Card Loss Protection Insurance 164
Telefunding for Charitable Donations 166
Fraudulent Magazine Subscription Sales 171
Travel Clubs and Vacation Packages 173

Major Inbound Telemarketing Frauds 180

Business Opportunity Fraud 180
Bulk E-mail and Autodial Systems192
Display Racks and Vending Machines 196
Medical Billings/Administrative Services 203

Scams Which Use Your Ego and Vanity 206

Vanity Press Publishing Fraud 206
Fraudulent Patent/Invention Promotion 210

Identity Theft and Its Role in Fraud 217

Minor Inbound Telemarketing Fraud 224

Scams For People with Money Problems 224
Fraudulent/Misleading Credit Card Offers 224
Loan Brokers 228
Credit Repair Agencies 233
Using Bankruptcy to Repair Credit 241
Using File Segregation to Repair Credit 241

How-to Manuals and Services 244

Government Auctions of Seized Property 248
Work- At- Home Schemes 254
Scholarship Fraud and Diploma Mills 263
Fraudulent Employment Opportunities 268
Fraudulent Green Card Lottery Services 271
Inheritance and Estate Locator Fraud 273
Offers To Locate Unclaimed Funds 274
Offers To Locate Missing Persons 276

Cramming Unauthorized Service Charges 277

Face-to-Face Frauds 285

Bubble and Ponzi Schemes 285
Examples of Ponzi Schemes 289
The Ponzi Scheme in Albania 306
Prime Bank Investments 308
Affinity Fraud 321
Financial Advisers Who Abuse Our Trust 328
Fraudulent T-Bills & Bonds 340
Seminars for Business Opportunities/Pyramids 345
Multilevel Marketing 351
Local Pyramid Clubs 353
Women Empowering Women 358
Elder Abuse of a Financial Nature 372
Home Equity and Renovation Scams 380
Sleight of Hand and Other Street Scams 389

Scams Delivered By Other Means 398

Pyramid Schemes 399
Internet Based Pyramid Schemes 418
Chain Letters 422
Fraudulent Diet Programs And Devices 425
Fraudulent Modeling Agencies / Talent Scouts 431
Fraudulent Use of Infomercials 436
Prison Pen Pals 441

Scams Targeting Businesses /Institutions 443

Nigerian Advance Fee Fraud 464
Fraudulent Business Loans 483
Bank and Banking Related Fraud 485
Factoring of Credit Card Transactions 489
Money Laundering & Hiding Proceeds 491

Victims of Fraud 500

Victim Assistance 506
Reporting Fraud to the Appropriate Authorities 511

Laws Available to Prosecute Fraud 521

Canadian Laws Dealing With Fraud 523
Canadian Agencies / Fraud Operations 528
Relevant Criminal Laws In The United States 530
Sentencing Guidelines and Enhancements 536
Criminal Appeals 540
Enforcement 542

Factors Allowing The Problem To Continue 546

Solutions 549