Many telemarketers are engaged in outright scams. I&#x27;ve listened to many of the recordings referenced by the article, and they&#x27;re overwhelmingly the same kind of scam.<p>The basic idea is that they call you up and offer you something for free or at a steep discount. They explain that they need a small holding fee which will be returned to you, then they run off with your money and you never hear from them again. Free solar panels, vacation cruises, driveway sealing, and discount home repairs&#x2F;weatherization seem to be the common flavors.