State Attorneys General, FTC Launch
Nationwide Effort to Educate Young Consumers to Be "Smart
Shoppers
WASHINGTON, D.C.--Everyone spends
money, but not everyone knows how to get the most for
what they spend. Nationwide, children spend billions
of dollars for millions of products -- toys, video games,
clothing, music, food, and more. To help the country's
pre-teens smarten up about shopping, the Federal Trade
Commission and the National Association of Attorneys
General have joined forces in a major national education
effort. The centerpiece of the campaign is "The
Real Deal," a full-color, 12-page activity book.
To order a copy of "The Real
Deal," call toll free 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357)
or send a postcard with your name and address to:
Consumer Response Center
Federal Trade Commission
600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Room 130
Washington, DC 20580
"The Real Deal" has games,
puzzles, cartoons, comics, and other entertaining and
educational activities. It aims to teach youngsters
their rights and responsibilities as consumers. Among
the "top tips" offered are:
read between the lines and separate facts from fantasy
when reading an ad or listening to a commercial;
think before buying (what do you want? what do
you need? what's your budget?) and carefully research
product claims;
ask questions and talk to friends, parents, teachers
and others who might be familiar with a product you're
interested in;
try before you buy (call a friend who has the item
or ask the salesperson for a demonstration);
shop around by telephone and call three stores
to compare prices, models, and return policies;
be assertive and tell the store manager right away
if there's a problem.
The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive
and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information
to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a
complaint or to get free
information on consumer issues, visit www.ftc.gov
or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The
FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft and other fraud-related complaints
into
Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil
and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.
