Finnish telemarketing company misled customers with deceptive ticket sales practices

A Finnish telemarketing company misled customers for months before its practices were uncovered. Silent Park sold tickets aimed at supporting children’s and youth sports, now branded as “Nuorelle siivet.” Customers scratched off amounts on tickets but received products instead of cash prizes, with claims of potential winnings up to €400,000. An anonymous salesperson, Neea, revealed that customers in dire financial situations were sold these tickets under the hope of winning large sums, despite knowing that cash prizes were not part of the offering.

Internal training materials disclosed various issues with ticket sales, revealing a misleading sales approach. Neea began her role at Silent Park in 2023 and expressed discomfort with practices promoted in the training. The materials suggested that 95% of customer objections were mere excuses, a statement she found questionable.

Sales pitches did not disclose vital information about the commercial nature of the calls, the company’s name, or how to cancel orders, which continued until explicitly canceled by the customer. Consumer protection laws require sellers to disclose specific details during phone sales, but these were routinely bypassed at Silent Park.

Upon review, it was determined that there was significant pressure on employees to close sales, leading to a toxic work environment. Silent Park ceased operations last summer, and the lottery organization, A-Lottex Oy, ended their partnership with Silent Park due to quality concerns. A-Lottex stressed that they monitor calls for compliance with legal standards and reject misleading or unethical sales practices, acknowledging past issues with subcontractors during a surge in sales in summer 2021.