You may think it could never happen to you - you'd never fall for a pitch from a telemarketing scam. But according to research, fraud victims are likely to be educated, informed, relatively affluent and involved in their communities.

Scam artists gain your trust using professional marketing materials and well-crafted telephone scripts. Their friendly tone puts you at ease. Their answers to your questions are believable - but they'll say anything to get your money. They easily impersonate legitimate businesses, charities and causes. They'll use your own emotions against you.

"People often don't recognize a fraudulent telemarketing pitch when they first hear it," says Chris Ferguson, director of Ontario's Consumer Protection Branch. "But if you take a moment to think about the offer or ask for written information or valid references you can check out, you can do a lot to protect yourself."

Smart consumers can protect themselves against telemarketing fraud by learning to recognize it:

• The caller is more excited than you are.
• The caller demands an immediate response but refuses to provide you anything in writing.
• You're asked to pay a fee or buy a product or provide personal or financial information before you can collect a prize.
• The caller asks you to pay by wire service or courier.
• The price for the goods or services is much lower than you would expect to pay on the open market.
• You are offered a large payment or reward for allowing your bank account to be used for transferring money.

If you suspect that you've been the target of a scam, report it. For information about telemarketing fraud and your rights under the Consumer Protection Act go to www.mgs.gov.on.ca or call 1-866-351-5655.