Jan- Dec. 2000 Telemarketing Fraud Statistics

Telemarketing Fraud Statistics

Total Loss Overall: $5,679,855

Average Loss: $1,462

1999 Top 10 Frauds		2000 Top 10 Frauds
Work-At-Home	16%	Prizes/Sweepstakes	18%
Prizes/Sweepstakes	15%	Magazine Sales	14%
Telephone Slamming	15%	Credit Card Sales	13%
Advance Fee Loans	11%	Work-At-Home	10%
Magazine Sales	10%	Advance Fee Loans	7%
Telephone Cramming	9%	Telephone Slamming	7%
Credit Card Offers	5%	Credit Card Loss Protection	4%
Travel/Vacation	3%	Buyers Clubs	3%
Credit Card Loss Protection	2%	Telephone Cramming	2%
Investments	2%	Travel/Vacations	2%

The top ten frauds of 2000 make up 80 percent of all telemarketing complaints taken at the Fraud Center.

Payment Methods Overall
Check	24%
Credit Card	23%
Bank Debit	15%
Telephone Bill	13%
Money Order	10%
Wire	6%
Cash	4%
Debit Card	3%
Cashiers Check	2%

Initial Contact Overall
Phone	52%
Mail	34%
Print	9%
In-person	2%
Money Order	10%
TV/Radio	2%
Fax	1%

Ages of Victims Overall
Under 20	1%
20-29	13%
30-39	16%
40-49	19%
50-59	16%
60-69	13%
70-79	15%
80+	7%

Locations of Companies

Canada	8%
Outside Canada/ U.S.	4%
U.S.	88%

Top Five U.S. Company Locations

FL	16%
CA	14%
NY	10%
TX	6%
AZ	5%

Top Five Victim Locations

CA	12%
FL	11%
NY	6%
PA	5%
TX	5%

Method of Payment, Percentage by Category

Telemarketing Fraud	Method of Payment
Prizes/Sweepstakes	Check	32%
	Wire	21%
	Credit Card	18%
	Money Order	11%
	Cash	8%
	Cashiers Check	7%
	Bank Account Debit	3%

Magazine Sales	Check	43%
	Credit Card	40%
	Bank Account Debit	11%
	Money Order	3%
	Debit Card	2%

Credit Card Offer	Bank Account Debit	59%
	Check	14%
	Money Order	12%
	Credit Card	6%
	Debit Card	5%
	Cash	2%
	Wire	1%

Work-at-Home	Money Offer	32%
	Check	30%
	Credit Card	18%
	Bank Account Debit	10%
	Cash	5%
	Wire	2%
	Debit Card	2%
	Cashiers Check	1%

Advance Fee Loans	Money Order	42%
	Wire	21%
	Cash	14%
	Check	11%
	Bank Account Debit	6%
	Cashiers Check	3%
	Credit Card	2%
	Debit Card	1%

Telephone Slamming	Telephone Bill	92%
	Check	4%
	Bank Account Debit	2%
	Credit Card	2%

Credit Card Loss Protection	Credit Card	85%
	Bank Account Debit	8%
	Debit Card	4%
	Check	2%

Buyers Clubs	Credit Card	67%
	Bank Account Debit	15%
	Debit Card	8%
	Check	6%
	Money Order	2%
	Wire	2%

Telephone Cramming	Telephone Bill	86%
	Check	9%
	Credit Card	2%
	Debit Card	1%

Travel/Vacations	Credit Card	66%
	Check	13%
	Bank Account Debit	12%
	Debit Card	4%
	Cash	2%
	Cashier	2%
	Money Order	1%

Average Loss per Category
Prizes/Sweepstakes	$3,119
Magazine Sales	$95
Credit Card Sales	$150
Work-At-Home	$183
Advance Fee Loans	$464
Telephone Slamming	$78
Credit Card Loss Protection	$229
Telephone Cramming	$25

Travel/Vacations

$790

Ages of Victims, Percentage by Category

Telemarketing Fraud	Age
Prizes/Sweepstakes	Under 20	1%
	20-29	6%
	30-39	7%
	40-49	13%
	50-59	9%
	60-69	16%
	70-79	28%
	80 and Older	20%

Magazine Sales	Under 20	1%
	20-29	5%
	30-39	10%
	40-49	13%
	50-59	14%
	60-69	20%
	70-79	29%
	80 and Older	8%

Credit Card Offer	Under 20	2%
	20-29	18%
	30-39	26%
	40-49	24%
	50-59	18%
	60-69	7%
	70-79	3%
	80 and Older	2%

Work-at-Home	Under 20	3%
	20-29	28%
	30-39	29%
	40-49	21%
	50-59	12%
	60-69	5%
	70-79	3%
	80 and Older	1%

Advance Fee Loans	Under 20	2%
	20-29	31%
	30-39	27%
	40-49	23%
	50-59	9%
	60-69	7%
	70-79	1%
	80 and Older	0%

Telephone Slamming	Under 20	1%
	20-29	10%
	30-39	22%
	40-49	30%
	50-59	14%
	60-69	14%
	70-79	7%
	80 and Older	2%

Credit Card Loss Protection	Under 20	0%
	20-29	4%
	30-39	8%
	40-49	13%
	50-59	12%
	60-69	21%
	70-79	25%
	80 and Older	17%

Buyers Clubs	Under 20	0%
	20-29	11%
	30-39	8%
	40-49	14%
	50-59	24%
	60-69	19%
	70-79	21%
	80 and Older	3%

Telephone Cramming	Under 20	0%
	20-29	9%
	30-39	14%
	40-49	18%
	50-59	22%
	60-69	24%
	70-79	13%
	80 and Older	0%

Travel/Vacations	Under 20	0%
	20-29	21%
	30-39	22%
	40-49	19%
	50-59	20%
	60-69	9%
	70-79	9%
	80 and Older	0%

Method of Contact, Percentage by Category

Telemarketing Fraud	Method of Contact
Prizes/Sweepstakes	Phone	49%
	Mail	49%
	In person	0%
	Print	2%
	TV	0%
	Fax	0%

Magazine Sales	Phone	74%
	Mail	22%
	In person	2%
	Print	2%
	TV	0%
	Fax	0%

Credit Card Offer	Phone	65%
	Mail	29%
	In person	0%
	Print	4%
	TV	2%
	Fax	0%

Work-at-Home	Phone	39%
	Mail	33%
	In person	0%
	Print	27%
	TV	0%
	Fax	0%

Advance Fee Loans	Phone	38%
	Mail	15%
	In person	2%
	Print	44%
	TV	1%
	Fax	0%

Telephone Slamming	Phone	43%
	Mail	52%
	In person	0%
	Print	3%
	TV	0%
	Fax	0%

Credit Card Loss Protection	Phone	93%
	Mail	6%
	In person	0%
	Print	0%
	TV	0%
	Fax	0%

Buyers Clubs	Phone	25%
	Mail	52%
	In person	2%
	Print	2%
	TV	13%
	Fax	0%

Telephone Cramming	Phone	36%
	Mail	57%
	In person	0%
	Print	1%
	TV	1%
	Fax	0%

Travel/Vacations	Phone	56%
	Mail	25%
	In person	7%
	Print	5%
	TV	0%
	Fax	5%

For more information, write or call or email the National Consumers League at 1701 K Street, NW, Suite 1200, Washington, D.C. 20006, (202) 835-3323, info@nclnet.org.