FBI Launches 12-State Telemarketing Sweep : Fraud: Authorities arrest dozens and impound property worth more than $1 million in a nationwide crackdown.

FBI agents in 12 states and the District of Columbia arrested more than 100 people Thursday, seizing a collection of boats, cars and guns and impounding more than $1 million in an unprecedented crackdown against telemarketing fraud.

The largest raids took place in Southern California, where about 300 agents searched more than 25 telemarketing offices, making about 50 arrests.

In San Diego, a hotbed of telemarketing activity, agents were armed with arrest warrants for 90 people, more than one-third of the 240 warrants issued nationwide. Arrests in San Diego were continuing Thursday evening.

In the Los Angeles region, special agent-in-charge Charlie J. Parsons said the 18 telemarketing offices raided--which allegedly sold a collection of jewelry, vitamins and other goods at allegedly inflated prices--took in an estimated $34 million in the last year or so.

The seven companies raided in San Diego took in an estimated $84 million over the last 18 months, according to special agent-in-charge William Esposito.

Officials said they hoped the raids would put at least a temporary dent in telephone sales fraud.

The raids capped a three-year investigation into telemarketing fraud across the country, dubbed “Operation Disconnect.” In Washington, FBI Director William Sessions said the investigation--the government’s biggest offensive ever against telemarketing fraud--was a response to mushrooming complaints. According to one estimate, nine of 10 Americans have received at least one suspicious solicitation from a telephone sales outfit.

Officials said they did not know how many people were allegedly victimized by the companies targeted in Thursday’s raids, though it is believed that one-third of them were elderly. Officials said they did not know how much money the telemarketers involved in Thursday’s sweep took in nationally.

“By the time this investigation is concluded, we expect to find victims in virtually every state in the union,” Sessions said. “The tragic dimension is . . . that the largest category of victims is the elderly, those who may be least able to recover from financial losses.”

Officials said that while there was no connection among the 50 companies targeted in the raids, many used similar sales pitches to lure alleged victims. Con artists contacted potential victims by telephone or by postcard, saying they were eligible for a sweepstakes or had won a prize. The con artists then asked for $50 to $5,000 to deliver such goodies as new cars, free trips or jewelry.

Officials said that victims never received prizes, or received prizes that were almost worthless.

For example, as part of the investigation, FBI agents paid $380 for a sapphire and diamond necklace said to be worth $1,200. The bureau said the gems were of poor quality, and that the necklace was worth far less than the purchase price.

According to investigators, more than one-quarter of the scams involved offers of “professional services,” including credit card deals, vacation packages, scholarships and investment and employment opportunities. Nearly one-fifth of the pitches were for vitamins.

The investigation began in Salt Lake City with FBI agents posing as sales representatives for a company that leased computerized automatic dialing systems. The tactic was so effective in learning the details of the operations that it was used in 17 other cities, Sessions said.

Besides Los Angeles, San Diego, Washington and Salt Lake City, raids were also conducted in Baltimore, Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, New Orleans, Buffalo and Albany, N.Y., and Miami, Tampa and Jacksonville, Fla.

Among those arrested were Paul C. Cooper, who ran a company under his own name, and Timothy Larros, both of Huntington Beach. Authorities said they were charged with mail and wire fraud. Neither could be reached for comment. The names of the others arrested were not immediately available.