APD In-Home Sampling Introduces Fraud Prevention Program; Unique New Service Provides Clients With Industry's Most Comprehensive Fraud Prevention And Detection Controls.

NORWALK, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 22, 1999--

Companies who use in-home sampling campaigns to market their products and services now have a way to combat fraud thanks to a new program being introduced by APD In-Home Sampling.

Working with Heartland Business Intelligence, one of the nation's leading specialists in fraud prevention and investigation, APD In-Home has developed a "Fraud Prevention and Detection Policy" that uses a series of proprietary controls to prevent fraud and address problems should they occur.

"This is easily the most comprehensive program that is now available in our industry," APD In-Home President Ruth Ann Carroll said, announcing the new program. "We realize that this is a serious issue for companies who spend millions of dollars each year sampling potential customers. Clients need to be assured that their products reach the consumers they were intended to reach and if there is a problem, they need to know that it is being handled quickly and to their satisfaction. Our association with Heartland provides us access to their team of fraud examiners, forensic accountants, forensic document examiners and licensed investigators."

While actual figures on diversion are not available, most industry analysts recognize that it is one of the most important issues facing both sampling companies and their clients.

"This program now gives our clients the comfort of knowing there are steps in place that greatly reduce the risk of problems occurring and that we will resolve those rare cases that do happen," said Carroll.

APD In-Home's new policy includes a series of controls developed by Heartland which include:

-- Real-time monitoring of product, job specs, delivery status and

consumer inquiries through a secure Web site.

-- Physical inspection of all network members and daily telephone

verifications and route traces of specific programs.

-- Minimum requirements and compliance standards for local market

agents.

-- Security Pak, a proprietary secure seal delivery bag that

protects clients from bulk coupon fraud and sample diversion.

-- Toll-free employee hotlines maintained around the clock by the

Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

-- Requiring liability coverage of distributors against property

damage, providing emergency standby delivery crews, computer

backups of all delivered products and penalty clauses for

diversion or non-delivery.

-- Full-scale unannounced audits conducted by an independent third

party and including route traces, warehouse surveillance,

detailed inventory sweeps and, where problems are suspected,

immediate investigation by licensed investigators, certified 

fraud examiners and forensic accountants.

"Some people may think all of these steps are overkill," said Carroll, "but we are committed to doing everything that we can to ensure our clients' sample products reach consumers and to eliminate diversion."

About APD In-Home Sampling

APD In-Home Sampling is a division of Alternate Marketing Networks, Inc.(TM) (Nasdaq:ALTM), a national marketing services company providing targeted product sampling and suburban newspaper advertising. The marketing networks are linked together in the company's Media Optimizer(TM) system that maintains a national database of metro daily and suburban newspapers and private distribution agents. This network linking offers clients the ability to mix their sampling methods for greater efficiency and to reach more of their target customers. APD's unique End-to-End Tracking(TM) systems provide fast, secure delivery monitoring and verification.