Ontario Police Public Safety Program

[Welcome to the end]

Has anyone else heard of this (expletive deleted) guy?
I arrive at my friend's MP yesterday and she is in a stew. This guy, Alex, has left a phone message, and, given this lady's command of English, she thinks the Police are asking for money!!! Luckily she has the message and so I phone the guy. It is for some stupid magazine that he publishes with some articles on drug abuse, good neighbourhood practice, blah, blah, blah. Our name will be listed if we support him and so would we like to send him $295.00 for the year. I tell him no thanks and not to call this place again. (I seem to remember helping another MP tell this guy to get lost about a year ago. I think he preys on MP's.) What a scam - these ladies are scared shitless as soon as the guy uses the word police! [edited by moderator - no personal information permitted.] I would like to vist him and give him a swift kick in the nuts !!!

 

[ImpacT]

Yes it is true. They haunt all small businesses not just MPs. Ask them to send you a printed copy of their publication before advertising and they will go away, because they can not produce one. They only like to refer you to their website.

 

[The Mad Russian (????)]

I thought protection racket was in the sole domain of the Mafia!

 

[M P]

Yep, at one point a decade or so ago there was something called Ontario Police News that did the same thing, soliciting not just small but medium sized businesses.

Chances are, if they come to you asking YOU to advertise in THEIR publication, they aren't reputable. They only want your cash without providing any service.

G's B.

 

[Zork]

Allow me to enlighten you.

Back in my bad old days of pirate telemarketing I worked in a couple of these places. Before I go on please allow me to say I would never ever (even if I was starving in the streets) work in one of these places again.

First off even though it

 

[Jason B.]

Nope, some go door-to-door target small biz to sponsor LE events.

In some states, uniforms would sell police stickers to small biz as 'protection'.

 

[MOON WILLOW]

Hey, you have a good memory. That is the one I remember hassling my friend at Peach Tree Spa in Pickering several years ago !

 

[Dubgli]

Still calling MP for contribuations few months ago...
With follow-up newsletter a week later...

 

[ZeFishChick]

The MP that was at 8 Wellesley upstairs in 1999-2000 has such a plaque showing in its lobby

 

[Paul P]

And this guy Alex sometime ask for renewal fees every so often...Sound legit with mailbox and phone #. Hm, word has it OPP is looking for easy score with the press...

 

[highballer906]

I give all these scammers a short, swift goodbye and good riddance line: "Sorry, I don't buy anything at the door or over the phone if I didn't call first."

A very rare few don't simply turn tail and vanish after that. Those that don't I simply say "I'm sorry" a second time and hang up or close the door.

Never regretted missing out on the deal of the century yet.

 

[hoachincosuts]

I know of one such operation here in Toronto.

It sickens me that this guy was a former General Manager at one of Toronto's radio stations. He was fired BTW.

He's hooked up with the Police Chiefs Assoc and they boiler room local biz all over Canada to be part of the "advertising" program on local crime stoppers.

The "marks" pay an amount to be included in messages to the public. But they do infer that they are part of the local Police force when calling. It's not illegal, but it's right on the line. His lawyers are smart, he does not ever cross the line into fraud. But essentially it is.

The cops go along with it because he's essentially getting public service messages on local radio across Canada. But as he bragged to me, they target those who can't speak English well and are willing to pay, thinking they're on the good side of local police.

When he told me this over drinks, I told him him he was lower than dog shit and left. I never liked the bastard and he wanted me to get involved in his little scheme. I most certainly did not.

I've spoken to Metro about this and they don't deal with him anymore. Other departments still are. They're desperate for funding and public support so they welcome anything that helps.

A slow process but I'm also in touch with the Police Chiefs Assoc to get the word out. Eventually, with Metros help, I'll get the OPP to investigate him and he'll be cooked.

As always its a difficult process to get police to go after someone who at first glance seems to be doing a public service for them. It takes time but I'm a bit of a bulldog on this one! It's not the local Police departments fault. This guy is squeaky clean from a quick look aspect. It's only when you know him that it becomes evident. Proving that in a legal sense is much more difficult. All I can do is get the word out and hope it sticks.

I absolutely detest this kind of shakedown on scared ethnic biz people. The Asians are a prime target unfortunately. They're english skills are not good and they operate in fear of authority. They shouldn't have to, but it's they way are and this guy capitalizes on it.

The fight goes on. And, I won't quit untill this rat bastard is jailed. I just have to catch him at his own game! Metro is being very helpful in building a case against him. It's just a matter of time.

M2

 

[d3midway]

Hmm, sounds like Craig Brommel has a new job.

 

[Unregistered]

scam

My guy's name is David Gordon 647 748 5700/416 963 1444 asking for $200 +hst for sponsorship listing.. kept calling for 3-4 days straight, both with ONTARIO POLICE on the call display and then Private number.
he was quite pushy and when i told him no, he became quite rude and hung up abruptly. waste of time.. SCAM

 

[Unregistered]

I had the same thing. I'm a woman, he scared the heck out of me.. Alex called me in the evening and left me a message, I guess he took my name from my business card. I've called my husband, kids, if everything was ok.
I've called him back few times and nobody is picking up, so right away I thought there was something fishy... Thanks for letting me know

 

[Unregistered]

647 748 5700 called and asked for $199 donation, tax deductable, for a good cause. But what a scam.. Indians are coming up with this kind of scams every day. When I try to dial the number it gives me a busy signal. SCAM SCAM SCAM!!

 

[Unregistered]

I've known this guy also. He has called me during the years and always with the same scam and a different cause. He pickes up ethnic papers and tries to scare immigrants by using Toronto Police titles. I have donated him once before also. He uses different names but I think he uses David Gordon the most. His accent is I believe somehow not like a David Gordon either.

 

[Unregistered]

He was calling Asian spas downtown this week.

 

[aro]

In Asia countries at least you are paying the real police:be polite:

 

[albrecht]

They are calling Toronto massage spas from 416-963-1444