The Federal Trade Commission has filed a federal district court complaint against Canadian telemarketing operators it alleges defrauded many older Americans with claims of lottery winnings.
The complaint was filed against Vancouver, British Columbia-based B.C. LTD, doing business as Newport Group and West Star; Steven Albert Ironside and Bruce George Alexander Ironside, both named as co-owners and directors of the companies.
The FTC alleges many older Americans lost millions of dollars by the company’s fraudulent claiming that the consumers had won a foreign lottery and needed to pay a variety of up-front fees to collect their winnings. Few consumers ever received any money at all, the FTC continued. Following an investigation coordinated with Canadian authorities, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the FTC has received a temporary restraining order against the defendants.
“This case is the latest example of how the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, in co-operation with our Canadian and American partners, can investigate and disrupt fraudulent telemarketers operating in our country,” said Superintendent Gordon McRae, Officer in Charge of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Commercial Crime Section for British Columbia in a statement.
Consumers who paid the fees — which ranged from $500 to more than $35,000 — received an “Entry Confirmation Certificate,” according to the FTC. Most received nothing further, according to the FTC, although some did receive a small payment, such as consumer who paid $4,300 to the defendants and received a check for $200.
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