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Explain in English the meaning of the following words and expressions. telemarketing operations
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telemarketing operations
outbound calls
inbound calls
investigation
prosecution
Answer the questions.
1) In what way are telemarketing operations defined?
2) What is the function of legitimate telemarketing operations?
3) What is the difference between outbound and inbound calls?
4) In what metropolitan areas of Canada are criminal telemarketing fraud operations concentrated?
5) What are the most popular telemarketing fraud operations in Canada?
Analyse the situation with criminal telemarketing operations in major metropolitan areas of Canada. Make necessary conclusions.
Make up a short summary of the text.
TEXT 4. LOCAL PYRAMID CLUB SCHEMES AND GIFTING CLUB SCAMS
You will likely first get involved in a local pyramid club when a friend, neighbour, or coworker invites you to attend an "opportunity meeting" to learn how to earn lots of money. At the meeting, you sit through a well-rehearsed presentation that downplays the traditional methods of acquiring money and offers instead an exciting shortcut to wealth, fame and adventure.
In order to join some club you must pay some type of initial investment to the scheme's promoter, which gives you the right to recruit others into the privileged club or process.
It is typical of locally-based pyramid schemes to target closely knit groups, like churches or civic groups, and to encourage participants to recruit friends, family members, neighbours, business associates, workmates and relatives.
Join the Club
To create an aura of respectability they may be called "investment clubs" or "gifting clubs" and have attractive names such as "The Friendship Investment Club", "Freedom Club", "A Gift Network", "Season of Sharing", "The Spirit of Giving" or "Creating a New Paradigm".
Promoters of the scheme commonly describe this club as a "social" or "gift" club where participants can exchange their talents and ideas with each other.
The examples:
To become one of the eight members, a new recruit was required to make a "gift" of $2000, in cash, to the "resource chair". Once the resource chair received the $16,000 in gifts, he was to leave that position and the pyramid was divided into two separate pyramids, with each participant moving up into the next level.
One popular pyramid theme is the "airplane game" in which new recruits buy in as passengers for $100. They are told that if they bring in new investors they will be able to move up to flight crew, co-pilot and finally pilot. At that point they will receive $1,000 or more.
Investigators said recent scams called "Pit Stop", "NASCAR", "Men's Club" or "Money Exchange," attracted 4,000 participants and targeted men by using auto-racing jargon. Participants were asked to put up a $2,000 contribution to become members of a "pit crew." They were promised $16,000 as a "lead driver" after recruiting new participants who contribute money.
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For Ladies Only
Modeled on the success of home party sales, a series of "ladies only" pyramid schemes, which are known by the names "Circle of Friends," "Women Helping Women", the "Gifting Club", "Heart to Heart", "Gifts for Charity", "Women for Women," and the "Dinner Party," are represented as a gathering of women helping one another by "gifting" money through a tiered structure.
Recruiting material for some of the groups talks about a goddess and sisterhood, organizations offer an interstate conference-call system to keep members in touch.
The system appears to be active in several circles and professions ranging from realtors, hairdressers, and professors at universities to employees of school boards, courthouses and numerous businesses.
A lot of professionals as well as middle-and upper-class people are involved. Even several male and female police officers in Auburn, Maine, were suspended or forced to resign after spending $2,000 to join the local "Changing Lives" pyramid scheme.
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