Oxford Financial ripoff Champlain New York

Broadcast time: Immediate

Tuesday September 27, 2005

Unit: TPS Fraud Squad

Phone: 416-808-7300

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were persuaded to divulge their bank account information so that an advance fee of approximately $249 (USD) could be withdrawn from their account.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:

1. Eric FOLGORA 34 years-Mississauga.

2. Sean Carlos SOMMA 30 years-Toronto.

3. Antonio MARCHESE 42 years-Bolton.

4. 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.

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