Free Materials For ESL Teachers and Learners

English Newsroom

Learn English through news articles - complete lesson plans, including articles, listening, classroom activities, quiz questions and more!

Men arrested for scamming elderly in France with fake bedbug treatments

Two men arrested in France for scamming elderly people by posing as health officials and overcharging for unnecessary bedbug treatments.
Try this article at a different level?

Two men have been arrested in France for allegedly scamming elderly people by charging them thousands of euros for unnecessary bedbug treatment. The men would visit the victims' homes, pretend to carry out control services, and then overcharge for treatment products. A total of 48 people, mostly women over 90, were scammed. Bedbug infestations have been on the rise in France, causing concern among government officials. However, experts have warned that the outbreak has also led to false sightings and unnecessary panic.

The alleged scammers would contact their victims and inform them of an infestation in their neighborhood. They would then visit the victims' homes posing as health officials and pretend to fumigate the space using aerosol sprays. Before leaving, they would offer an ointment that they claimed would keep the bugs away from human skin. However, the ointment was actually a simple eucalyptus-scented cream. The victims were charged between €300 and €2,100 (£257 and £1,800). The police received nine formal complaints for suspected fraud, which led to the surveillance and subsequent arrest of the suspects in Strasbourg.

The bedbug infestations in Paris have raised concerns about the problem spreading to London. London mayor Sadiq Khan expressed his worry about the threat to the capital's public transport system and stated that he had been in contact with officials in Paris and Transport For London to prevent the problem from spreading. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, you can share your experiences by emailing [email protected] or contacting the BBC through WhatsApp or Twitter.

In conclusion, two men have been arrested in France for scamming elderly people by charging them for unnecessary bedbug treatment. The men would visit the victims' homes, pretend to carry out control services, and overcharge for treatment products. The bedbug infestations in France have caused concern among government officials, but experts have warned about false sightings and unnecessary panic. The suspects would contact their victims, visit their homes posing as health officials, and offer a cream that they claimed would repel the bugs. Victims were charged between €300 and €2,100. The infestations in Paris have raised fears about the problem spreading to London.

Original news source: Two arrested in France over alleged bedbug scam (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

📖 Vocabulary:

1. alleged
2. scamming
3. elderly
4. charging
5. infestations
6. outbreak
7. false
8. sightings
9. unnecessary
10. victims
11. fumigate
12. ointment
13. formal
14. suspected
15. surveillance

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the students into pairs or small groups. Give each group a few minutes to read the article silently. Then, ask them to work together to summarize the main points of the article in their own words. After they have finished, have each group share their summary with the class.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the students into pairs. Have each pair discuss their opinions on the following question: "Do you think the scammers should receive a harsh punishment for targeting elderly people? Why or why not?" After they have discussed, ask each pair to share their opinions with the class. Encourage a class discussion and debate on the topic.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write a list of vocabulary words from the article on the board. Divide the students into small teams. Give each team a vocabulary word and ask them to draw a picture to represent the word. The other teams must try to guess the word based on the drawing. The team that guesses correctly gets a point. Continue with different vocabulary words until all have been used.
– Keyword Taboo
Instructions: Choose several keywords from the article and write them on separate index cards. Divide the students into two teams. One student from each team comes to the front of the class. Show them a keyword card, but they cannot say the word or any form of the word. They must describe the word to their team using synonyms, definitions, or examples. The first team to guess the keyword gets a point. Continue with different students and keywords until all have been used.
– Speed Summarizing
Instructions: Divide the students into pairs or small groups. Give each group a few minutes to read the article silently. Then, set a timer for two minutes and ask the groups to work together to summarize the main points of the article as quickly as possible. After the two minutes, have each group share their summary with the class. Encourage them to speak quickly and concisely.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. How did the alleged scammers target their victims?

2. What did the scammers pretend to do when they visited the victims' homes?

3. What did the scammers offer the victims before leaving?

4. How much money were the victims charged for the unnecessary bedbug treatment?

5. How many people were scammed in total?

6. What concerns have been raised by the bedbug infestations in France?

7. How did the scammers pose as health officials?

8. Who has expressed worry about the bedbug problem spreading to London?

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Two men have been arrested in France for allegedly scamming people by charging them thousands of euros for unnecessary bedbug treatment. The men would visit the victims' homes, pretend to carry out services, and then overcharge for treatment products. A total of 48 people, mostly women over 90, were scammed. infestations have been on the rise in France, causing concern among government officials. However, have warned that the outbreak has also led to false sightings and unnecessary panic. The alleged scammers would contact their victims and inform them of an in their neighborhood. They would then visit the victims' homes posing as health officials and to fumigate the space using aerosol sprays. Before leaving, they would offer an ointment that they claimed would keep the bugs away from human skin. However, the ointment was actually a eucalyptus-scented cream. The victims were charged between €300 and €2,100 (£257 and £1,800). The police nine formal complaints for suspected fraud, which led to the surveillance and subsequent arrest of the suspects in Strasbourg. The bedbug infestations in have raised concerns about the problem spreading to London. London mayor Sadiq Khan expressed his worry about the threat to the capital's public system and stated that he had been in contact with officials in Paris and Transport For London to prevent the problem from spreading. If you have been affected by any of the raised in this story, you can your experiences by emailing [email protected] or contacting the BBC through WhatsApp or Twitter. In conclusion, two men have been arrested in France for scamming elderly people by charging them for unnecessary bedbug treatment. The men would visit the ' homes, pretend to carry out control services, and overcharge for treatment products. The bedbug in France have caused concern among government officials, but experts have warned about false sightings and unnecessary panic. The suspects would contact their victims, visit their homes posing as officials, and offer a cream that they claimed would repel the bugs. Victims were charged between €300 and €2,100. The infestations in Paris have raised fears about the spreading to London.

💬 Discussion Questions:

1. What is a bedbug infestation?
2. How would you feel if someone scammed you out of thousands of euros?
3. Do you think the scammers targeted elderly people on purpose? Why or why not?
4. Have you ever been a victim of a scam? If so, what happened?
5. How do you think the victims felt when they realized they had been scammed?
6. Do you think the scammers should face harsh punishments for their actions? Why or why not?
7. What measures do you think should be taken to prevent scams like this from happening?
8. Have you ever encountered a false sighting or unnecessary panic in your own life? Can you give an example?
9. How do you think the bedbug infestations in France have affected the elderly population?
10. Do you think the scammers would have been caught if the victims were not elderly? Why or why not?
11. How do you think the victims' families reacted when they found out about the scam?
12. What steps can individuals take to protect themselves from scams like this?
13. Do you think the scammers were motivated by greed or desperation? Why or why not?
14. How do you think the bedbug infestations in Paris could affect the city's tourism industry?
15. What advice would you give to someone who suspects they may be a victim of a scam?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Click a dot next to a word, then click the dot next to its meaning to draw a line connecting them.

Words

1. alleged
2. scamming
3. elderly
4. charging
5. infestations
6. outbreak
7. false
8. sightings
9. unnecessary
10. victims
11. fumigate
12. ointment
13. formal
14. suspected
15. surveillance

Meanings

(A) Individuals who have been harmed or taken advantage of
(B) Observations or glimpses of something, often something unusual or unexpected
(C) Close observation or monitoring, often for the purpose of gathering information
(D) Not needed or required, serving no purpose
(E) A substance applied to the skin to relieve pain or discomfort
(F) A sudden increase or occurrence of something, often negative or harmful
(G) Official or proper, following established rules or procedures
(H) Demanding payment for goods or services provided
(I) The presence or spread of a large number of pests or insects
(J) People who are old, usually referring to those over a certain age
(K) To treat or disinfect an area to eliminate pests or insects
(L) Engaging in fraudulent activity to deceive or trick others
(M) Believed to be guilty or involved in wrongdoing without definite proof
(N) Claimed or accused without proof
(O) Not true or accurate

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What were the two men arrested for in France?
(a) Committing fraud at a local bank
(b) Stealing cars from a dealership
(c) Selling counterfeit designer clothing
(d) Scamming elderly people for unnecessary bedbug treatment
2. How many people were scammed by the two men?
(a) 48
(b) 20
(c) 100
(d) 10
3. Who were the primary victims of the scam?
(a) Men in their 30s
(b) Mostly women over 90
(c) Teenagers
(d) Middle-aged adults
4. What did the alleged scammers pretend to do at the victims' homes?
(a) Clean the house
(b) Repair plumbing issues
(c) Carry out control services for bedbugs
(d) Install security cameras
5. What did the scammers offer the victims to keep the bugs away?
(a) A bug spray
(b) A eucalyptus-scented cream
(c) A vacuum cleaner
(d) A bug zapper
6. How much were the victims charged for the unnecessary treatment?
(a) Between €50 and €100
(b) Between €1,000 and €5,000
(c) Between €300 and €2,100
(d) Between €10 and €50
7. How many formal complaints did the police receive about the suspected fraud?
(a) Nine
(b) One
(c) Twenty
(d) None
8. What concerns have been raised about the bedbug infestations in France?
(a) The spread of the problem to London
(b) The cost of treatment for the victims
(c) The lack of government response to the issue
(d) False sightings and unnecessary panic

🕵️ True or False Questions:

The victims were mostly women over 90 years old.
Two men have been arrested in France for scamming elderly people by charging them for unnecessary bedbug treatment.
Experts have warned that the outbreak has also led to false sightings and unnecessary panic.
The scammers would offer an ointment that they claimed would attract the bugs to human skin, but it was actually a simple eucalyptus-scented cream.
Bedbug infestations have been decreasing in France, causing relief among government officials.
The bedbug infestations in Paris have raised concerns about the problem spreading to London.
The accused scammers would avoid visiting the victims' homes and pretend to carry out control services.
The scammers would contact their victims and inform them of a decrease in infestations in their neighborhood.

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
Check your writing now with the best free AI for English writing!

Writing Questions:

1. How did the alleged scammers convince the victims to let them into their homes?
2. What were the victims charged for the unnecessary bedbug treatment?
3. How many formal complaints did the police receive regarding the suspected fraud?
4. What concerns have been raised about the bedbug infestations in Paris?
5. Who has expressed worry about the problem spreading to London?

How about these other Level 4 articles?

Online
Class
Writing
Coach
☕ 커피 3잔 &
무료 피드백! 🎓
☕ 커피 3잔 & 무료 피드백! 🎓

X

[100% 온라인] 랭커스터 대학교 영어 연구 참여자 모집
별도의 참가비 없이 영국 대학 연구에 도움도 주시고, 무료 영어 실전 연습과 피드백도 받아보세요!

영국 랭커스터 대학교(Lancaster University)에서 한국인 영어 학습자분들을 대상으로 새로운 연구 프로젝트를 진행합니다. 전 과정 온라인으로 진행되어 어디서든 편하게 참여하실 수 있습니다. 여러분의 소중한 참여로 한국인의 영어 사용 방식을 알아보는 흥미로운 연구가 완성됩니다.

🎁 참여 혜택:
– 원어민 연구원과의 1:1 회화 연습
– 실전 영작 연습 & 맞춤형 영어 피드백 리포트
– 커피 기프티콘 총 3잔 선물! (첫 세션 후 1잔, 마지막 세션 완료 후 2잔 더 드려요! ☕☕)

📅 참여 방식: 총 2회의 온라인 세션 (Zoom 등을 이용, 각 세션당 약 60~80분 소요) 말하기와 쓰기 활동이 섞여 있어 부담 없이 즐겁게 참여하실 수 있습니다.

✅ 대상: 영어 실력에 상관없이 참여를 희망하는 18세 이상 한국인 누구나

Feedback