Parents' Guide to Telemarketers

If you've ever hung up on a telemarketer, this devastating docuseries that traces the rise and fall of one particularly shady outfit is worth your attention. The Civic Development Group, or CDG, began as a New Jersey outfit fundraising on behalf of police groups; it wound up fleecing millions from the unsuspecting people who made the mistake of answering their phone and sending a check. As we learn, CDG found loopholes in the law and managed to keep growing and earning, while also trapping employees and entire depressed towns in its schemes.

The frank recollections from ex-CDG employees who hated their jobs but felt unable to leave are particularly affecting. They knew the job they were doing was sketchy, maybe even criminal. But CDG purposely looked for employees that were marginalized: "They went directly to the halfway houses in town to recruit!" says one participant. CDG also opened up offices in areas with a depressed economy and a lack of jobs and industry. Then CDG found one way after another to fool the unfortunate people who answered their calls, from hiding behind official-sounding charity names to calling those who donated repeatedly, always asking for more money. It's enraging and sad all at once.