September
27, 2005 -- Members of
a sophisticated telemarketing ring have been arrested by
the Toronto Strategic Partnership in Deceptive Telemarketing.
Two Toronto telemarketing rooms were shut down following
the execution of search warrants. At the same time another
room operating in Calgary was simultaneously shut down by
the Alberta Partnership whom also executed a search warrant.
The search warrants were executed on Monday September 26,
2005.
The
Toronto Strategic Partnership is a multi-law enforcement
agency response to Mass Marketing Fraud. It includes the
TPS Fraud Squad, Ontario Provincial Police, Phonebusters,
York Regional Police Service, RCMP-GTA Commercial Crime
Section, Competition Bureau, Ministry of Government Services
formerly MCBS, Federal Trade Commission, U.S. Postal Inspection
Service and the U.K. Office of Fair Trading.
It
is alleged that during the years 2002 through to 2005, a
telemarketing scheme was set up and perpetuated in Canada
and the target victims were mainly United States citizens.
The
investigation was of entities and persons carrying on business
as, but not limited to, the following business names: Centurion
Financial Benefits, Guardian Financial Benefits, Spectra
Financial Benefits, Integra Financial Benefits, Sureway
Financial Benefits, Simple Choice Financial Benefits, Oxford
Financial Benefits and Prosperica Benefits.
United
States consumers were contacted through direct telephone
communications and/or through the Internet and were offered
a guaranteed unsecured credit card with a credit limit of
$2,000.00. The unsecured low interest credit
cards had 0% interest on purchases and no annual fees. To
complete the sale, some consumers were persuaded to divulge
their bank account information so that an advance fee of
approximately $249 (USD) could be withdrawn from their account.
Consumers
made the payment and no
credit cards were received.
It
is believed that in excess of 70,000 consumers were victimized
of millions of dollars (USD).
Arrested:
•
Eric Folgora 34 years-Mississauga.
•
Sean Carlos Somma 30 years-Toronto.
•
Antonio Marchese 42 years-Bolton.
•
Claire-Stephanie Tan 35 years-Toronto.
The
aforementioned are charged with Fraud Over $5000.00 and
are scheduled to appear in College Park Provincial Courts
– 444 Yonge Street Courtroom 501 on Tuesday, September 27
2005, at 10:00 am.
Further
arrests are anticipated and investigations are continuing.
For
more information contact Detective Sergeant Joe Zwambag
at 416-808-7325 or Detective Garry Hickey at 416-808-7324.
The
Toronto Strategic Partnership assisted the Competition Bureau
of Canada last week, in closing down another telemarketing
room – “Pacific Liberty” which was running a similar scam.
For further details refer to the
web site of: www.competitionbureau.gc.ca
