Two calls today: from "Canada Development office" from someone with an Indian accent. The other from the "Quebec Business Office". Both asked about if we were moving. If you live in Quebec, you will definitely get a big laugh in their face as they present themselves. They were shocked at why I was laughing out so loud. I answered: "I will tell you after you give me your name, the name of your boss and his phone number". She hung up on me right away.
You can't call in Quebec presenting yourself in English with a name like that. It is not only impossible, it is illegal, because no official "Office" or authority would have an English name. And they would speak French upfront.
So please, laugh out loud to them!
This apparent scam is seemingly prevalent in the US and Canada, with the callers identifying themselves as Maryland Business Development Office, California Business Development office and Ontario Business Development Office, none of which exist.
The initial calls came from what appears to be a trailer park in Arizona, but recently the number has been blocked. The numbers they leave are bogus..one going to Google. There are several callers, one a male, one a woman in her fifties or so with a cigarette voice, among others.
The purpose of the scam appears to be collecting information, which may come down to some degree of identity theft.
Usually these boiler room scams hope to get a temp or the last person on the phone chain, who will part with information more quickly than they should. This group, however, seems to target small businesses. (One more reason not to provide any information over the phone..you get on the lists they use.)
In the US, at least, your local law enforcement agency is powerless to act until there is proven damage. Unfortunately once the damage is done the victims probably won't be able to figure out how who they gave the information to.
I would say it's in the purview of the FBI in the us. Canada?? Who knows.
I just recieved a call from the same woman about 2 minutes ago. It seemed fishy so I asked her to provide me with her company's website. She promptly hung up after that.
Just got my third call from the Quebec Business Development Office. First time she asked if we were looking to move offices, I said no and she hung up. When she called back yesterday I pointed out that she had called the week before, and she promptly hung up. She just called again and didnt finish her sentence before I said we had spoken yesterday and she hung up again.
We've been getting these calls for years. First from the "Ontario Business Development Office", now from the "Metro Toronto Business Development Office". Judging by the questions they as about moving, sounds like it could be related to a real estate company. The calls may not actually be a total scam, but the official-sounding name of the "Business Development Office" is misleading. Essentially seem to be a telemarketer.