Department of Justice

REPORT OF THE CANADA - UNITED STATES
WORKING GROUP ON TELEMARKETING FRAUD

The Working Group recommends:

that the governments and agencies of both countries clearly identify telemarketing fraud as a serious crime; (p. 7)

that both countries explore the use of remote testimony in criminal proceedings, by video-teleconferencing or similar means, to reduce costs; (p. 15)

that the legal and technical potential and limits of electronic surveillance as a tool against telemarketing fraud be explored further; (p. 18)

that both governments examine the regulation of telephone services and options for denying telephone services to telemarketing offenders; (p. 19)

that the scope of the existing mutual legal assistance arrangements be considered to determine whether they might be expanded to deal more effectively with telemarketing-fraud cases; (p. 20)

that both governments clarify the circumstances under which mutual legal assistance requests are needed, by providing information and advice to the agencies involved; (p. 20)

that extradition arrangements be examined, and if possible modified, to facilitate and accelerate extradition in telemarketing fraud cases; (p. 21)

that federal deportation laws which might apply to foreign nationals engaging in telemarketing fraud be reviewed, and that enforcement agencies be given information about when deportation may be an option; (p. 21)

that research be conducted into offenders, victims and other aspects of telemarketing fraud to create effective educational materials and strategies to prevent it; (p. 21)

that governments and agencies cooperate as closely as possible in developing, maintaining and disseminating educational materials, and in coordinating education and prevention efforts; (p. 21)

that strategies to control telemarketing fraud be coordinated between Canada and the United States at the agency, regional and national levels; (p. 25 )

that an ongoing binational working group serve as an overall coordinator and deal with national and binational telemarketing fraud issues as they arise; (p. 28)

that regional task-forces be encouraged to cooperate across the international border to the maximum extent possible; and (p. 28)

that, to further coordination, governments and agencies examine privacy and other laws relevant to cross-border shared access information systems with a view to expanding access to such systems to the maximum extent possible. (p. 29)