And since I'm sitting around watching the WS, and just dinking around doing research, I thought you all would be interested in these as well. I know many of you know that this existed in the past, but maybe not in this detail:
Chronology of Cohen Telemarketing Scam 1987-2002
Description of Cohen Telemarketing Scam and Sentencing 2002
FTC Judgement Banning Cohen Telemarketing for Life
Cohen Court Injunction .pdf
I know I can't speak for anyone else and I only post this for pure fact-finding. But my last Buyer's Premium has gone to this dude. I personally can't believe PSA calls him an Authorized Dealer. It's shameful and sick.
Here is just a little snippet from the third link above:
In November 1998, the FTC filed a complaint against the above-named defendants, J.P. Cohen (a defendant not part of the settlement package), and the corporate entities through which they did business, U.S. Marketing and North American Charitable Services, Inc. The FTC alleged that in telephone scripts, "thank you" letters, and brochures sent to donors, the defendants and their subcontractors misrepresented that consumers' donations would benefit local purposes - such as holiday parties for sick children in local hospitals - and misrepresented that consumers' donations would support particular programs - such as buying wheelchairs for veterans. According to the FTC, most donations did not support a charitable purpose but instead funded the nationwide telemarketing operation and lined the defendants' pockets. In some instances, the defendants never paid the nonprofits, but simply kept all the money raised in their names.