Consumer Sentinel: Audio News
Release
We've heard if before. If an offer sounds too good to be
true, it probably is.
Now a new website gives consumers information on how to
recognize and avoid fraudulent and deceptive offers, and file a complaint
against the companies that offer them.
The site includes information complied from a database of
more than 300,000 complaints collected by the Federal Trade Commission.
The Consumer Sentinel database is available to law
enforcement agencies in the United States and abroad.
The Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection,
Jodie Bernstein, says that the Consumer Sentinel website empowers consumers,
while supporting the people and organizations working to prevent consumer
fraud.
Bernstein: "We want consumers to be aware of these schemes.
The more people complain, the easier it is to track and catch deceptive
companies. Law enforcers can use the complaint data to launch
investigation."
The Sentinel website features data on the most common types
of fraud, the amount of money lost, and the states where fraud is more
prevalent.
Bernstein: "If someone has scammed you, we really want to
hear about it, because your complaint can help law enforcers connect the
dots to ultimately stop the fraud and protect other consumers."
Consumers can file a complaint about consumer fraud or identity theft at
www.consumer.com/sentinel or by calling
toll-free at 1-877-FTC-HELP.
January
2002
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