In their Jan/Feb 2005 issue P.I. Magazine has an interesting interview conducted by Jimme Mesis (Ed. in Chief) with Joel Winston (Associate Director of the FTC, Division of Financial Practices) on the legal guidelines for pretextual interviews, a longtime tool of investigators.

While Caveat as a rule does not conduct pretextual interviews, it doesn't hurt to keep abreast of how the FTC's regulation effects this aspect of our industry.

As for what Mesis and Winston have to say on the subject, their enlightening conversation can be read here.

-- MDT