Taking unsolicited sales calls has become a little bit of a guilty pleasure here at our office. It's fun to ask the hard & ridiculous questions.
Last week we got such a call. It was from a company called "TLC Explorations". They claim to be a mining exploration company in Northern Ontario and were looking for $3,000 minimum investments. They wanted us in at the ground floor of this amazing opportunity. Still suspicious I asked for their website...where I found this picture on their home page!!!

Seriously - that is one tricked out dump truck: massive rims, sweet exhaust. This truck is so awesome it couldn't possibly be a scam!
Update: It seems the company noticed they had a tricked out dump truck on their home page and have replaced it with a generic stock photo. It's a shame really - that tricked out dump truck was the only thing they had going for them.

Comments
Brent - February 12, 2007 12:25 pm
I just received a call from this company as well. I did not take it but after looking at this information, I don't think that I will bother taking the call when they call back.
t - March 30, 2007 8:05 am
hey i got info about this company from another company called markinch capital. they said they are out of ontario.
anybody heard anything about them
Josie Phillips - May 22, 2007 1:06 pm
I've also been looking on the Ontario Securities Commision and the Better Buisness Bureau and they BOTH haven't herd of these companies since there not registered with either ! There trying to get my Husband to invest into there TLC Exploration for some B.S VEGA GOLD mine's .Please e-mail me if anyone else has something to say about said "Markinch Capital"
Thank you, Josie P.
Michele C - June 26, 2007 7:25 pm
Just got a call from a Huges guy, and wanted us to invest big. Company TLC Exploration. thanks for the warning.
Michele
Markinch Employee - March 13, 2008 3:25 pm
Markinch and TLC aren't a scam... because it's legal for them to give their salespeople 20% of your investment and pocket the rest.
I used to wokr there!
DO NOT INVEST!
James Fromar - April 14, 2008 7:40 pm
I made the very BIG mistake of investing a small amount of money with "Markinch Capital"... they are a completely bogus operation. They are very good with knowing the securities loopholes, and aren't even registered with the Ontario Securities Commission. This IS NOT a legal operation by any means, and any monies sent to these people may as well be flushed down the toilet instead. The same scammers that run this company also run TLC Explorations ("Vega Gold") and BVI Interntional (selling 'time share' in the Dominican Republic). BEWARE Laides and Gentlemen, keep your money in your pocket, because it's jut a matter of time before these companies get caught and go belly up!!!!
Corky - May 1, 2008 3:32 pm
Has anyone received any certificate or other documents for their investment in the BVI time share or was this a total scam?
James - May 7, 2008 6:20 pm
Corky- I didn't invest in that bvi project, but chances are you probably will receive something...at some point, WHEN is the real question. The guys running the show are not to be trusted, so who knows what the REAL deal is.
pamela - May 9, 2008 4:59 pm
Just received two calls from Erica Aluve of TLC wanting to speak with my employer / husband. The calls came within minutes of each other and the female voice was not the same on each call . Both Erica's left a phone number of 416-548-8499 requesting a call back. When I asked what TLC was I was told an exploration company in Toronto. I guess they figure there is 'big money' to be had in Northern Alberta. I will be asking for removal from their phone list if & when they call back.
TLC Explorations - May 14, 2008 10:51 am
TLC Explorations sucks!
Blu - May 14, 2008 1:30 pm
This bogus company called me today.
Number was listed as private.
I immediate asked for their phone number and was given a 1888 number when I asked where they got my information they hung up.
I called the number and it was out of service.
Anyone know how I can reach the office.
Have a few words for them and would like to report them to the gov.
THanks
Andersen - May 21, 2008 9:01 am
yeah!!! really
<h1>TLC Explorations is dirty shit!</h1>
Richard - May 30, 2008 11:58 am
All three companies (Markinch, BVI & TLC) all operate out of the exact same office in downtown Toronto (Front Street, directly across from the Citi Bank Building...same building with Jack Astors). Here is the office number (416) 849-1223 for those of you interested
Sue - June 4, 2008 3:50 pm
Just wanted to let everyone know that this is still going on. I received a call from a man named Maximum and he gave his return number as 416 548-8499. He would not tell the person he left the message with why he was calling, so I looked it up on Google and I found this website. Just thought I would update.
Sue - June 6, 2008 1:06 pm
Just wanted to update my previous post with a thought that
<h2>tlc explorations - biggest SCAMMER and LOOSER in Canada</h2>
Sue - June 6, 2008 1:16 pm
sorry for missprint
<h2>tlc explorations LOSER!</h2>
Harry - June 10, 2008 10:00 am
I don't care if these <A HREF="http://www.marblecityca.com" title="granite countertops">granite countertops</A> have athing common with tlc, I still like it.
Mark - June 18, 2008 11:30 am
hmmm-interesting-has anybody actually invested in the shares-apart from timeshare?
Harry - June 24, 2008 12:12 am
I don't care if these granite countertops have athing common with tlc, I still like it.
Mike - July 18, 2008 11:36 am
Got a call from these shit-birds today. Lady with nearly incoherent rambling.
at the end of the call she asked me to confirm that i had an income of more than 200K per year and/or my company had more than 1M in assets as it is a requirement of some exchange to verify this information before sending data. I explained to her that it was not the case, she pressed and sent crap to my fax machine any way. Should i scan this garbage so everyone can read it?
Dan James - July 18, 2008 12:46 pm
Mike - Please scan what they've sent you and I'll attach it to the main post. Thanks!
John - July 29, 2008 4:34 pm
They proved to me they own the property, the assay reports are very good and real, they have made significant progress and they ARE registered legally. I think we have a disgrunteld employee on our hands. Im giving it a shot.
Lala - August 12, 2008 2:55 pm
These people called two weeks in a row looking to speak with my boss. First call they immediately hung up when I told them the boss was away.
Second time thay called I would not let the jerk off the phone. He said he would call back at a later time to speak with my boss at which time I informed him he will NEVER get through to my boss without going through me.
This time he reluctantly gave me his company name.
If they are infact legit they are not going to get vary far in the business world by hanging up on and being rude to people.
Jamie - August 20, 2008 2:57 pm
How did they prove to you that they owned the property?
Festival - August 21, 2008 10:16 pm
It's very simple Jamie check with the Ministry in Thunder Bay....
I believe the assay reports are listed on their website as well and are the scanned originals.
I've been a shareholder with the company for over a year and although they are a junior and the company hasn't turned a profit yet I believe in the company and the management and am comfortable with having invested with them. The banter above my post is obviously complete rubbish.