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)

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Vocabulary:

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?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Two men have been arrested in France for allegedly scamming (1)______ people by charging them thousands of euros for unnecessary bedbug treatment. The men would visit the victims’ homes, pretend to carry out (2)______ services, and then overcharge for treatment products. A total of 48 people, mostly women over 90, were scammed. (3)______ infestations have been on the rise in France, causing concern among government officials. However, (4)______ 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 (5)______ in their neighborhood. They would then visit the victims’ homes posing as health officials and (6)______ 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 (7)______ eucalyptus-scented cream. The victims were charged between €300 and €2,100 (£257 and £1,800). The police (8)______ nine formal complaints for suspected fraud, which led to the surveillance and subsequent arrest of the suspects in Strasbourg.

The bedbug infestations in (9)______ have raised concerns about the problem spreading to London. London mayor Sadiq Khan expressed his worry about the threat to the capital’s public (10)______ 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 (11)______ raised in this story, you can (12)______ 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 (13)______’ homes, pretend to carry out control services, and overcharge for treatment products. The bedbug (14)______ 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 (15)______ 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 (16)______ spreading to London.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

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:

Match each word to its meaning.

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

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What were the two men arrested for in France?
(a) Committing fraud at a local bank
(b) Scamming elderly people for unnecessary bedbug treatment
(c) Stealing cars from a dealership
(d) Selling counterfeit designer clothing

2. How many people were scammed by the two men?
(a) 20
(b) 100
(c) 10
(d) 48

3. Who were the primary victims of the scam?
(a) Men in their 30s
(b) Teenagers
(c) Mostly women over 90
(d) Middle-aged adults

4. What did the alleged scammers pretend to do at the victims’ homes?
(a) Carry out control services for bedbugs
(b) Clean the house
(c) Repair plumbing issues
(d) Install security cameras

5. What did the scammers offer the victims to keep the bugs away?
(a) A eucalyptus-scented cream
(b) A bug spray
(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 €10 and €50
(d) Between €300 and €2,100

7. How many formal complaints did the police receive about the suspected fraud?
(a) One
(b) Nine
(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) False sightings and unnecessary panic
(d) The lack of government response to the issue

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. The victims were mostly women over 90 years old.
2. Two men have been arrested in France for scamming elderly people by charging them for unnecessary bedbug treatment.
3. Experts have warned that the outbreak has also led to false sightings and unnecessary panic.
4. 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.
5. Bedbug infestations have been decreasing in France, causing relief among government officials.
6. The bedbug infestations in Paris have raised concerns about the problem spreading to London.
7. The accused scammers would avoid visiting the victims’ homes and pretend to carry out control services.
8. The scammers would contact their victims and inform them of a decrease in infestations in their neighborhood.
Go to answers ⇩

Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

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?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. How did the alleged scammers target their victims?
The scammers would contact their victims and inform them of an infestation in their neighborhood.

2. What did the scammers pretend to do when they visited the victims’ homes?
The scammers would pretend to carry out control services, such as fumigating the space using aerosol sprays.

3. What did the scammers offer the victims before leaving?
The scammers offered the victims an ointment that they claimed would keep the bugs away from human skin.

4. How much money were the victims charged for the unnecessary bedbug treatment?
The victims were charged between €300 and €2,100 (£257 and £1,800).

5. How many people were scammed in total?
A total of 48 people were scammed.

6. What concerns have been raised by the bedbug infestations in France?
The bedbug infestations have raised concerns among government officials.

7. How did the scammers pose as health officials?
The scammers would visit the victims’ homes posing as health officials.

8. Who has expressed worry about the bedbug problem spreading to London?
London mayor Sadiq Khan has expressed worry about the bedbug problem spreading to London.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) elderly
(2) control
(3) Bedbug
(4) experts
(5) infestation
(6) pretend
(7) simple
(8) received
(9) Paris
(10) transport
(11) issues
(12) share
(13) victims
(14) infestations
(15) health
(16) problem
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. alleged
Answer: (L) Claimed or accused without proof

2. scamming
Answer: (E) Engaging in fraudulent activity to deceive or trick others

3. elderly
Answer: (M) People who are old, usually referring to those over a certain age

4. charging
Answer: (F) Demanding payment for goods or services provided

5. infestations
Answer: (K) The presence or spread of a large number of pests or insects

6. outbreak
Answer: (D) A sudden increase or occurrence of something, often negative or harmful

7. false
Answer: (B) Not true or accurate

8. sightings
Answer: (C) Observations or glimpses of something, often something unusual or unexpected

9. unnecessary
Answer: (A) Not needed or required, serving no purpose

10. victims
Answer: (N) Individuals who have been harmed or taken advantage of

11. fumigate
Answer: (H) To treat or disinfect an area to eliminate pests or insects

12. ointment
Answer: (I) A substance applied to the skin to relieve pain or discomfort

13. formal
Answer: (J) Official or proper, following established rules or procedures

14. suspected
Answer: (O) Believed to be guilty or involved in wrongdoing without definite proof

15. surveillance
Answer: (G) Close observation or monitoring, often for the purpose of gathering information
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What were the two men arrested for in France?
Answer: (b) Scamming elderly people for unnecessary bedbug treatment

2. How many people were scammed by the two men?
Answer: (d) 48

3. Who were the primary victims of the scam?
Answer: (c) Mostly women over 90

4. What did the alleged scammers pretend to do at the victims’ homes?
Answer: (a) Carry out control services for bedbugs

5. What did the scammers offer the victims to keep the bugs away?
Answer: (a) A eucalyptus-scented cream

6. How much were the victims charged for the unnecessary treatment?
Answer: (d) Between €300 and €2,100

7. How many formal complaints did the police receive about the suspected fraud?
Answer: (b) Nine

8. What concerns have been raised about the bedbug infestations in France?
Answer: (c) False sightings and unnecessary panic
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. The victims were mostly women over 90 years old. (Answer: True)
2. Two men have been arrested in France for scamming elderly people by charging them for unnecessary bedbug treatment. (Answer: True)
3. Experts have warned that the outbreak has also led to false sightings and unnecessary panic. (Answer: True)
4. 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. (Answer: False)
5. Bedbug infestations have been decreasing in France, causing relief among government officials. (Answer: False)
6. The bedbug infestations in Paris have raised concerns about the problem spreading to London. (Answer: True)
7. The accused scammers would avoid visiting the victims’ homes and pretend to carry out control services. (Answer: False)
8. The scammers would contact their victims and inform them of a decrease in infestations in their neighborhood. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧