Parents: Phone Cards Can Be Deadly

[mcscajun]

I "intercepted" this particular "Opportunity" mailing at my office recently. It was addressed to a graduating senior.

On a very colorful envelope, from the "Navy Opportunity Information Center", decorated with a full-color shot of a "hot-shot" Navy pilot lugging his gear, hidden behind his dark, aviator glasses, were the following blurbs:

Front:
"Jump on the phone. Answer the survey. Activate the card."
"Check out your 30-minute Phone Card Inside!"

Back:
"Some people call us adrenaline junkies. Like that's a bad thing."


The enclosed phone card bears the same image of the pilot and says "Talk it up. Navy."

The text:

When was the last time someone offered to accelerate your life...in 30 minutes?

Dear xxxx,

Ever crave the chance to do something really cool...like directing traffic on the deck of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier or diving into a fascinating career in oceanography?

What about doing something bigger with your life? Waking up each day to a call of honor and courage. Proving to those who doubt you that when you're at your best, you are the BEST! You've pictured it, imagined it, and even felt the pride that comes with it.

Now's your chance to live it -- in the Navy.

How far can adrenaline take you? To the four corners of the world. Africa, Europe, Australia, Asia. The South Seas. One hundred ports of call throughout the world, including the U.S.

What can you possibly achieve? Just about any skill you want to get your hands on. Radar. Microelectronics. Aircraft mechanics. Journalism. Computer programming. Music. Pick from over 50,000 positions in 60 high-growth fields.

For every time someone says you can't do it, guess what? In the Navy you can. Earn over $70,000 toward college, work toward a degree while perfecting your skills -- and launch your future while accelerating your life.

Take a minute to tell us who you are, what interests you and where you want to go in life. And we'll give you 30 minutes back* No obligation.

To activate your phone card, just call 1-800-201-1368 and answer the brief Navy survey. When a Navy Recruiter calls back to verify your activation info, feel free to request details about specific Navy opportunities. Ask about life-accelerating Navy adventures or anything else you crave to know. And be sure to visit the Life Accelerator(tm) at navy.com. It's the shortest distance between where you are and where you want to be.

In fact, you can call us on it.

*Continental U.S. calls only. Card expires 4/30/2006.

"Proving to those who doubt you..."
"For every time someone says you can't do it,"

They wouldn't be manipulating teenagers now, would they? :sarcasm:

Notice how the word "recruiter" doesn't show up until the very last paragraph? When was the last time your teenager read all of ANYthing?

[TomInTib]

1. This is getting pretty deep. Back in my day....

there were basically 3 options- get drafted, walk into recruiting center and sign up, or enlist to stay out of jail (that's how they got me).
Think about the costs of a program like this and who is profiting from it.
Oh, well, better the phone companies make a profit rather than waste taxpayer money on crap like body armor and up-armored vehicles.

Bastards

[mcscajun]

6. We're pretty much Hip Deep in Bastards these days...

...and I hadn't even considered any profit motive, but you're right. There's always someone making money.

[Ian David]

2. THEY CAN TRACK EVERY CALL THE KID MAKES!

If a recruiter gives the kid a phonecard, they can track every call the kid makes with the card.

For example, all his recruitment-age friends!

[mcscajun]

4. I hadn't even thought of that...

...talk about getting full value for their dollars. It's like an invisible pyramid scheme.

[Ian David]

7. Private Investigators use cards like that all the time

You give a pre-paid phonecard to a spouse you suspect of cheating, for example. At the end of the month, you get their entire calling detail.

Or if you're a bounty hunter, you give the card to the suspect's mom. If she calls him using the card, you'll know where he is.

Possibilities are limitless.

It's the almost as bad as a warrantless wiretap.


77 INVESTIGATIONS INC.



http://www.77investigators.com/5ways.html
This card allows you to monitor caller activity.
We send prepaid free telephone calling cards to you, your fugitive, spouse or your teenager.

When it's used, you can get the prepaid calling card phone numbers called, times of each prepaid call, duration of each call and the dates of each call.

Spouses involved in domestic cases find this prepaid calling card to be a very useful tool.

More:
http://www.77investigators.com/5ways.html

[Deja Q]

3. Banks do it with credit cards all the time.

Doesn't stop the kids either.

They create the problem and then blame us for it.

[mcscajun]

5. True, but with credit cards all they can lose is money.

Yours or theirs, depending.

The stakes here are Far Higher and the methods therefore more despicable.

[cliss]

8. This is really bad.

I have 3 teenage boys. I'm going to warn them about this.

It's true: the armed forces are absolutely desperate & will do anything to rope in a few more young people.

Thanks for sharing this.