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It is supposed to be a relaxing day for you as you decided to spend some time at the nearby mall to leave life’s worries for a while and unwind. However in the midst of your leisurely walk, a decent looking salesperson approaches you to offer a specific promotional stub that will give you a chance to win prizes for free.
Unsuspecting and lured by the persistent salesman that is impeccably dressed in business clothes, you entertained him and were surprise when you actually won a major prize. While you are feeling lucky, the salesman invited you to a room/office which is oddly located at the farthest corner of the mall so you can claim your prize.
Once inside the room, you will discover that you are required to purchase an expensive product to claim the prize, thus it means that you will actually pay for the thing you won. Some boiler room scammers would ask for your credit card and they will use it to pay for some vague insurance policy or other purchases.
It will not be so easy to just leave the boiler room and forget about the promo because a group of salesperson gathers around you leaving you no choice but to adhere to their demands. Finally, you will get out of that room with huge amount of purchases that you don't really need or new credit card bills for something you did not buy.
Sound familiar? The above scenario more or less explains what boiler room scheme is all about. The term boiler room was used because it is likened to a space/room inside a ship where steam boilers are kept. This room is way too hot and victims of boiler room schemes figuratively experience the same pressure in the presence of overbearing salesmen. Other types of boiler room schemes exists but in all of them, the victims are always tricked or pressured to purchase or pay for something that they do not really want and at a higher price than usual.
How to Spot a Boiler Room Scam
There are ways for you to identify if the salesperson is out to apply to you the boiler room scheme. Take note of the following warning signs:
The salesperson promises something that is too good to be true (e.g. attractive profits/prizes/gains and demands little or nothing from you)
The salesperson wants you to make a decision and accept/purchase the product right away.
The salesman uses sales strategies that urge you to accept the product immediately, leaving you no time to ponder if you really need or want this product. (e.g. saying that the promo will be ending soon or the price of the product will double after a week).
The salesperson does not give adequate information about the company he/she represents or the product being offered.
Demand payments at the soonest possible time because they do not want to give their victims a chance to back out.
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yes..this is really true..i was a victim..i purchased an insurance card...too late to back out, i fell on their trap already.. - Myles