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Follows former telemarketing employees Pat Pespas and Sam Lipman-Stern, two longtime office friends who find themselves hot on the trail of a sobering look at the ugly side of American capit... Read allFollows former telemarketing employees Pat Pespas and Sam Lipman-Stern, two longtime office friends who find themselves hot on the trail of a sobering look at the ugly side of American capitalism and the abuse of customer trust.Follows former telemarketing employees Pat Pespas and Sam Lipman-Stern, two longtime office friends who find themselves hot on the trail of a sobering look at the ugly side of American capitalism and the abuse of customer trust.
- Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy
- 2 wins & 7 nominations total
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How are more people not talking about this ? I can see why Danny McBride and the infamous Safde Bros picked this story up.. Such a interesting first episode and amazing characters . Pat seems like a legend that I want to meet. I am dying to see the next episode . I still get calls from these companies on the daily and it's crazy to know where it all started. CDG. These guys that started it are actually on par with Apple except just a huge scam comparable to cutco knives and. Or pyramid schemes. Your literally paying thousands of dollars for a sticker what a joke but also a brilliant scheme because people get worried when someone calls them and says the word police. Brilliant characters brilliant show so far.
First of all PJP is a fantastic charming guy. He was dealt a bad hand but he made the best of it! He is so charming and passionate. Doing documentaries, being a spokesman is something that he has talent in, he is just lacking that upper-class training that most elite get.
Sam and Pat did a great freelance documentary! This is what real freelance journalism is, this is probably the best that it can be. And I was so exited to see you guys do your work.
The investigation was very interesting and I could feel it piecing together. It is one of those situations where you kind of need to be much more awareness to the public. It is in their interest to avoid giving them the donations.
In poorer countries we have something similar on much smaller scale: the begger scheme, where people give money to beggers thinking that they are helping a poor homeless person. In reality most of them are like a network that travel city to city and collect money for some kind of mafia boss. It is basically the same type of crime.
Anyway, I hope you guys made some money from this. I hope PJP and Sam might work on something more. Maybe I don't know, start a YT channel and review stuff they know and love.
Sam and Pat did a great freelance documentary! This is what real freelance journalism is, this is probably the best that it can be. And I was so exited to see you guys do your work.
The investigation was very interesting and I could feel it piecing together. It is one of those situations where you kind of need to be much more awareness to the public. It is in their interest to avoid giving them the donations.
In poorer countries we have something similar on much smaller scale: the begger scheme, where people give money to beggers thinking that they are helping a poor homeless person. In reality most of them are like a network that travel city to city and collect money for some kind of mafia boss. It is basically the same type of crime.
Anyway, I hope you guys made some money from this. I hope PJP and Sam might work on something more. Maybe I don't know, start a YT channel and review stuff they know and love.
Two men (Patrick and Sam), dealing with substance addiction along with many others working at sleazy telemarketing company, decide to document the pressure of sales and the insanity of ever-changing fundraising scripts. Soon, they see how bad their company CDG and Fraternal Orders of Police profit from scamming money for fake charities. (The money you are donating are not going to disabled officers widow/grieving families, or needy children. They are filling the pockets of these union leaders, and the owners of telemarketing companies. You should see the houses and cars they bought.) And if the telemarketers are not selling enough, they will be let go of possibly the only job they can work at because who else would accept their criminal background.
This documentary is what you get. It starts quick film clips of Sam and Pat and other employees goofing off, doing drugs while sounding like angels on their shifts. But along the way, Pat, the one known as the Legend educates Sam on the dirty truth behind these phone requests. These two eager amateurs wanted to throw it out there for people to see how they are being blinded by agreeing to donate money for what "sounds" like an official police campaign. Very slow development, as some years pass by; Sam tries to enlist Pat for new interviews, but Pat ran off with no contact information. It was a little nerve wracking as their investigation could not be continued. If you do watch the show, be sure to watch Pat do interviews!
I think the two did a fantastic job despite their limitations in journaling experience. I hope they can find more heroes to help shoulder the burden. Their parents and their spouses were amazingly supportive with little tips of advice, here and there. Thank you Ann Ravel, Sarah Kleiner for her enthusiasm. Reverend James and his no holds barred. "They should go to jail." A true David and Goliath story. Hopefully this documentary will save others from losing their life savings. Because now I guess the telemarketer companies are now utilizing their former employees' recorded voices as robocallers. There is always a ways around to take money off of a victim.
Patrick J. Pespas and Samuel Lipman Stern for President 2024!
Senator Blumenthal - you're an embarrassment. You are part of the problem.
(Surely we can defund the police, if they're getting all these million dollar donations. The disabled policemen or the families of fallen officers have not seen that money).
The police fraternal orders will not admit to stealing money for their own purposes like entertainment, cruises, fancy cars. Why do the police force threaten us or manipulate us to give money, if it is their job to protect us. (Have you heard the aggressive selling techniques? Especially the one guy who was hired even after he committed murder?)
Message: Do Not Donate to what sounds like a police or fraternal organization. That money will most likely be used for travel expenses to some party. And all you have left to show for it, is an easily printed decal for your window.
This documentary is what you get. It starts quick film clips of Sam and Pat and other employees goofing off, doing drugs while sounding like angels on their shifts. But along the way, Pat, the one known as the Legend educates Sam on the dirty truth behind these phone requests. These two eager amateurs wanted to throw it out there for people to see how they are being blinded by agreeing to donate money for what "sounds" like an official police campaign. Very slow development, as some years pass by; Sam tries to enlist Pat for new interviews, but Pat ran off with no contact information. It was a little nerve wracking as their investigation could not be continued. If you do watch the show, be sure to watch Pat do interviews!
I think the two did a fantastic job despite their limitations in journaling experience. I hope they can find more heroes to help shoulder the burden. Their parents and their spouses were amazingly supportive with little tips of advice, here and there. Thank you Ann Ravel, Sarah Kleiner for her enthusiasm. Reverend James and his no holds barred. "They should go to jail." A true David and Goliath story. Hopefully this documentary will save others from losing their life savings. Because now I guess the telemarketer companies are now utilizing their former employees' recorded voices as robocallers. There is always a ways around to take money off of a victim.
Patrick J. Pespas and Samuel Lipman Stern for President 2024!
Senator Blumenthal - you're an embarrassment. You are part of the problem.
(Surely we can defund the police, if they're getting all these million dollar donations. The disabled policemen or the families of fallen officers have not seen that money).
The police fraternal orders will not admit to stealing money for their own purposes like entertainment, cruises, fancy cars. Why do the police force threaten us or manipulate us to give money, if it is their job to protect us. (Have you heard the aggressive selling techniques? Especially the one guy who was hired even after he committed murder?)
Message: Do Not Donate to what sounds like a police or fraternal organization. That money will most likely be used for travel expenses to some party. And all you have left to show for it, is an easily printed decal for your window.
Had little idea how the telemarketing industry was ran. Probably my not all like this shows, but just WOW!
After watching just the first episode last night, I am really looking forward to the next two.
It will make you angry to find out that very little is dome by the government to shut these boiler room scammers down. They get a slap on the wrist and a fine and continue on with taking/conning money out of people who can't afford to give, but because they have a soft heart and think they are actually helping someone in their community, they give over and over.
I also didn't realize that they are operating all over America and not in some foreign country.
After watching just the first episode last night, I am really looking forward to the next two.
It will make you angry to find out that very little is dome by the government to shut these boiler room scammers down. They get a slap on the wrist and a fine and continue on with taking/conning money out of people who can't afford to give, but because they have a soft heart and think they are actually helping someone in their community, they give over and over.
I also didn't realize that they are operating all over America and not in some foreign country.
As "Telemarketers" (2023 release; 3 episodes of about an hour each) opens, it is "2010" and we are introduced to Sam, a former telemarketer at Civic Development Group. Sam had worked there for seven years. We then go to "Seven Years Earlier", as young Sam (then only 14 yo), a school drop-out, is given a chance to solicit donation on behalf of charitable organizations. CDG does no background checks on anyone, and many have a criminal record. At this point we are 10 minutes into Episode 1.
Couple of comments: this documentary mini-series is co-directed by Sam Lipman-Stern (one of the man subjects of the documentary) and long-time documentarian Adam Bhala Lough. Here they dive deep into the massive grift of telemarketing groups like Civic Development Group. They prey on unsuspecting victims who donate because they believe the funds will go to a good cause, when in reality 90% of the donation goes straight into the pockets of CDG. It is absolutely surreal what we are witnessing here. Episode 1 contains a ton of archive footage as, for reasons unknown, someone decide to videotape a bunch of this stuff starting in 2003. By the end of Episode 1, I was left with the feeling that surely it can't turn worse than this, but of course with still 2 episodes to go, I'm not holding my breath. Can't wait to how all of this plays out.
Episode 1 of "Telemarketers" started streaming on Mx on August 13, 2023 and the remaining 2 episodes will be released on August 20 and 27. This mini-series has received critical acclaim, and there is good reason why it is currently rate 94% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. If you are in the mood for a hard-hitting documentary mini-series on how telemarketers really operate, I'd readily suggest you check it out and draw your own conclusion.
UPDATE Just saw Episode 2 and as I had expected, this now goes into a vert different direction, namely how the "charity" entities like the FOB are also into the scheme, wow. Cannot wait for EP3.
Couple of comments: this documentary mini-series is co-directed by Sam Lipman-Stern (one of the man subjects of the documentary) and long-time documentarian Adam Bhala Lough. Here they dive deep into the massive grift of telemarketing groups like Civic Development Group. They prey on unsuspecting victims who donate because they believe the funds will go to a good cause, when in reality 90% of the donation goes straight into the pockets of CDG. It is absolutely surreal what we are witnessing here. Episode 1 contains a ton of archive footage as, for reasons unknown, someone decide to videotape a bunch of this stuff starting in 2003. By the end of Episode 1, I was left with the feeling that surely it can't turn worse than this, but of course with still 2 episodes to go, I'm not holding my breath. Can't wait to how all of this plays out.
Episode 1 of "Telemarketers" started streaming on Mx on August 13, 2023 and the remaining 2 episodes will be released on August 20 and 27. This mini-series has received critical acclaim, and there is good reason why it is currently rate 94% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. If you are in the mood for a hard-hitting documentary mini-series on how telemarketers really operate, I'd readily suggest you check it out and draw your own conclusion.
UPDATE Just saw Episode 2 and as I had expected, this now goes into a vert different direction, namely how the "charity" entities like the FOB are also into the scheme, wow. Cannot wait for EP3.
Did you know
- TriviaThe theme music is "Oh Hail No" by El-P.
- ConnectionsReferenced in Film Junk Podcast: Episode 908: Past Lives (2023)
- How many seasons does Telemarketers have?Powered by Alexa
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