In recent years, fraudulent telemarketing has become a serious problem in North America. Legitimate operations are increasingly becoming tainted by the rise in scams and not only find their reputations adversely affected, but also find it difficult to compete with fraudulent schemes for the limited dollars available in the marketplace.

Business, as well as consumers, can be victims of phone fraud. Many of the same tips for avoiding deceptive mailouts apply to phone fraud as well.

Tips to Protect Yourself and Your Business:

• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
• Don’t fall for last minute “sales”.
• If you aren’t interested, just say no and don’t let yourself be bullied into making a purchase.
• Instruct your temporary employees not to accept anything or confirm any deliveries over the phone.
• Don’t give out details about your office equipment, such as the make and model number, over the phone. Your supplier will already have this information on file.
• Instruct your financial staff to check all of your bills and invoices carefully before making any payments.
• Don’t respond to a company you have never heard of. Contact your local BBB to see if they have received any complaints.
• If you are getting rid of documents that have your company’s confidential information on it (e.g. bills and bank statements), shred it.
• Once you respond to a phone scam, you may be added to a sucker list and your company’s name will be resold. Stop the cycle at the beginning.

Common Business Frauds:

• Deals on photocopier or fax toner, office supplies or office equipment;
• Fake directory advertising or listings; and
• Unexpected delivery of office supplies or equipment.

Report It

Please note that Consumer Protection BC is only responsible for consumer-to-business transactions and is unable to offer assistance with business-to-business transactions. If your company is a victim of phone fraud, we recommend reporting it to your local BBB or PhoneBusters.

Special Note

Telemarketers who conduct business in British Columbia or who contact consumers in British Columbia by telephone or fax for the purpose of entering into a distance sales contract are subject to the Telemarketer Licensing Regulation. If you aren’t sure if your company requires a license, contact Consumer Protection BC at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .