National Consumer Protection Week: Learn how to protect yourself

FTC and its partners launched the National Consumer Protection Week, a joint effort that will work to shine a bright light on fraud issues, including those targeting you and your home. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) launched its National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW), an annual event aimed at teaching customers how to protect themselves from falling victim to fraud and identity theft.

Working in conjunction with 89 other agencies, the NCPW’s website features resources to help you become a more informed customer, including information on managing credit and debt, staying safe online, and more. The site also has information on where to file complaints with federal, state, and other partners, including the FTC.

“Our mission is to protect our consumers not just through education but in bringing legal action against companies that violate consumer law,” says Lisa Lake, the FTC’s consumer education specialist.

National Consumer Protection Week is a coordinated campaign that encourages you to take full advantage of your consumer rights and make informed decisions

Around Home

NCPW partners include government agencies (like the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) and consumer organizations (like Operation HOPE, Inc. and NeighborWorks America®). Fraud topics addressed include technology, cars, credit cards, identity theft, and, of course, your home.

“[The home] is certainly a priority for us at the FTC to educate people about loan modification scams and foreclosure scams,” says Lake. “We have for a long time educated people on how to avoid those pitfalls.”

The goal is to help consumers make informed buying decisions and recognize scams like false claims in advertising and loan modification schemes.

It’s one of Social Security’s highest priorities to protect the privacy and security of the personal information we maintain on you and other Americans. You can rest assured that doing business with us online is both safe and secure.

Security is our middle name and we take it seriously!

The agency’s benefit programs are far-reaching and complex, which means that preventing, detecting, and combatting fraud, waste, and abuse are ongoing challenges. We can’t prevent every instance of fraud any more than law enforcement can prevent all crimes. However, we aggressively investigate potential instances of fraud and pursue prosecution of those who commit it. This is where we need your help the most. If you suspect fraud, report it online, or call the fraud hotline at 1-800-269-0271