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