Mass Marketing Fraud

Mass Marketing Fraud is defined as fraud committed via mass communication media using the telephone, mail, and the Internet. Provisions under the criminal regime of the Competition Act prohibit all materially false or misleading representations made knowingly or recklessly, deceptive telemarketing and deceptive prize notices.

False or Misleading Representations

Under its criminal regime, the Competition Act, prohibits knowingly or recklessly making, or permitting the making of, a representation to the public, in any form what ever, that is false or misleading in a material respect.

For more information

Visit our False or Misleading Representations and Deceptive Marketing Practices pamphlet for more useful information.

Deceptive Telemarketing

The Competition Act prohibits the making, or the permitting of the making, of false or misleading representations in order to promote the supply of a product or a business interest during person-to-person telephone calls.

Telemarketers are also required to disclose: the name of the company or person they are working for; the type of product or business interest they are promoting; the purpose of the call; the price of any product being sold and any restrictions or conditions that must be met before the product will be delivered.

For more information

Visit our Telemarketing pamphlet for more useful information.

Deceptive Notices of Winning a Prize

The Competition Act prohibits notices that give recipients the general impression that they have won a prize or any other benefit, and asks or requires recipients to pay money or incur a cost in order to obtain the prize or benefit.

It is not an offence if the recipient actually wins the prize and the person or company who sent the notice disclosed the number and approximate value of the prizes in an adequate and fair manner, distributed the prizes in a timely manner, and selected participants or distributed the prizes randomly.

For more information

Visit our Deceptive Prize Notices pamphlet for more useful information.