Your Ticket to National Consumer Protection Week 2010

Archive for the ‘NCPW’ Category

Are You Distracted While Driving?

March 11th, 2010
by Guest Blogger

[Today's guest blogger is Celeste from the FCC.]

 

As the mom of a teenager who will be driving soon, I naturally want to make sure my son stays safe. I want him to keep his eyes on the road. I don’t want him to get distracted and accidentally hurt himself or someone else.

According to AAA, nearly 50 percent of teens admit that texting while driving is dangerous. However, Students Against Destructive Driving (SADD), along with Liberty Mutual Insurance Group, also released data that 37 percent of teens continue to send and receive text messages in their moving vehicles anyway. Even though state laws increasingly deal with texting and talking while driving (for example, by legislating the use of hands-free sets), there’s still a ways to go in educating drivers of all ages about the dangers of these habits.

And education is, indeed, a key step to reduce distracted driving. There are articles, web sites, and videos that can assist you in becoming more informed and passing this information along to your children and others in your life. Check out the Federal Communication Commission’s Distracted Driving Page to learn more and get information you can use in your community. The web site also provides links to other agencies – including the Department of Transportation – and organizations that are involved in reducing distracted driving. 

Changing behavior is not easy, but it starts with each of us. As for me, I’m striving to set an example for my son by putting away my cell phone and paying closer attention to the road when I’m behind the wheel.  It’s a small but critical step in making the road safer for my son and those with whom he shares it. After all, kids may not always listen to their parents; but they do watch what we do.

Tags: driving, mobile phone safety, safety, texting, texting while driving
Posted in For Kids, NCPW | 5 Comments »

Share with your network!

March 9th, 2010
by Carol

In this age of online social networking, it seems like everybody wants to stay connected and in the know. Social networking really isn’t new: people have depended on trusted family members, friends, neighbors or colleagues for centuries to help them keep up with the latest news and information. For people who like to take a leadership role in their own networks or communities, the FTC has got a myriad of free resources to share – in both the real world and the virtual one.  For example, you can host an event to alert others to some practical ways to mitigate identity theft. The FTC’s toolkit, How to Plan & Host a ‘Protect Your Identity’ Day, can help you alert your network to how to minimize the risks and consequences of identity theft. The kit includes a video featuring identity theft victims telling their stories, a guide to talking about the crime, and tips to deter, detect and defend against it. The guide features sample materials, including a speech, presentation and templates for materials in English and Spanish. Suggestions for how to organize an event, reach out to partners and promote the event to your local media are included, as well. Consider hosting a “Protect Your Identity” Day in conjunction with your local library, house of worship, PTA or neighborhood association, and — or — posting the video and the Deter-Detect-Defend tips on your blog or website.

Order or download a copy of the ID Theft kit today.

Tags: community outreach, identity theft, library, outreach
Posted in Identity Theft and Privacy, NCPW | 5 Comments »

National Consumer Protection Week is Here!

March 8th, 2010
by Nicole

It’s official. Check out President Obama’s NCPW Proclamation. And visit our NCPW Events Page to see if there’s a local event in your area!

Tags: NCPW 2010, President Obama
Posted in NCPW | No Comments »

Resources for the Military Community

February 19th, 2010
by Carol

If you or someone you know or love is a member of the armed forces, you know that the facts of military life — like deployment and frequent moves — can be a challenge at best. And, as the expression goes, knowledge is power. That’s especially true in the marketplace. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) can help you make the most of your money and take full advantage of your consumer rights. The FTC’s free resources can help you protect your privacy, manage money and debt, avoid identity theft, understand credit and mortgages, and spot potentially costly frauds and scams.

The FTC even has a few tips specifically for service members and their families. Take “active duty alerts,” for example. If you’re deployed from your usual duty station and don’t expect to apply for new credit while you’re deployed, you might consider placing an “active duty alert” on your credit report. It requires creditors to verify your identity before they grant credit in your name. Click here for more information for military personnel about identity theft.            

If you’re at the Pentagon between Feb. 22 and Feb. 26, stop in to the DoD Financial Readiness Fair. Pick up some free resources on money management, saving and investing. We’ll look forward to seeing you at the FTC table, and saying hello in person.

Tags: active duty alert, deployment, military, service
Posted in Identity Theft and Privacy, NCPW | 3 Comments »

Libraries and the FTC — Check it out!

January 20th, 2010
by Carol

At the American Library Association’s conference last year, a delightfully enthusiastic gentleman was the first to approach the FTC’s exhibit, even before the hall officially opened. He cheerfully explained that he regularly uses FTC resources to help the patrons of his public library. I was flattered to learn that we were one of his “must see” stops (circled in red on the program).  He carried off a load of free materials — and bricks of jazzy-looking bookmarks with tips about being a savvy consumer.  

As my new friend at the ALA conference had discovered, the FTC and libraries are a great match. We’ve got free brochures, websites, videos and bookmarks — on consumer topics like credit, privacy and health — with information that can help meet your community’s needs and make your job a little easier.          

Are you in Young Adult Services or a school library?  Check out Net Cetera, a new booklet that covers the issues kids face online — social networking, cyberbullying, sexting and more. Or take a look at You Are Here our site that takes elementary and middle school kids on an experiential journey through a shopping mall to teach them how to be smarter consumers. 

Work in a public library?  Host a “Protect your ID Day” with our identity theft  education kit which has sample talking points, presentations, reference materials and tips to organize your own event. Or display brochures — or play videos — on mortgage foreclosure, annual credit reports, debt collection, or job scams. Cut and paste  FTC content for your newsletters, use interactive quizzes in your programs, download buttons for your website, and order free copies of publications to hand out.

And don’t forget to stock up on those bookmarks!

Tags: community outreach, identity theft, kids, library
Posted in NCPW | No Comments »

Embracing the “Old School” in Reaching the Masses

January 17th, 2010
by Lisa

Today, the country recognizes what would have been Dr. Martin Luther King’s 81^st birthday.  Some of us will celebrate through volunteerism, attending commemorative events, or simply enjoying the day off.  But, wherever we are, let’s take a moment to reflect on Dr. King’s mission, messages and methods in the context of achieving economic empowerment and financial literacy.

Advancements in technology and the proliferation of informative consumer education materials give us – as organizations and individuals – the ability to reach consumers in staggering numbers.  With a keystroke, mouse-click, broadcast or podcast, we can connect with thousands—even millions, to offer the tools they need to make informed buying and money management decisions, to protect themselves from fraud and to prepare their children to be the next generation of smart consumers.  But here’s the even better news:  As we gear up for National Consumer Protection Week, we have the opportunity to mix advanced communication vehicles with low-tech, high-touch tactics that penetrate and resonate with all segments of society – including disenfranchised and low-literacy communities.  So, not only do we have powerful technology at our disposal, we still have the timeless power of human contact as we take our information to community centers, churches, street festivals…and to the guy on the bus.

Thinking about Dr. King’s potent “old-school” style of reaching people reminds me of the Frank Laubach credo, “Each One Teach One,” a phrase and concept widely used in the adult literacy movement.  I can think of no better mantra to carry out the important mission of National Consumer Protection Week in the spirit of Dr. King and other pioneers who helped change the world one rally, one gathering, one person at a time.

Tags: community outreach, low-literacy communities, Martin Luther King, MLK, NCPW 2010, outreach, teaching
Posted in NCPW | No Comments »

You’re So Competitive

January 13th, 2010
by Jennifer

It’s a competitive time of year. As anyone who even flips on a TV knows, it’s countdown to the Olympics time. And, I’m told, it’s nearly Super Bowl Sunday. So it’s all about the competition among highly trained and/or highly-paid athletes, coming soon to a screen near you.

But at the FTC, it’s all-competition, all the time. And, handily enough, the agency’s work on competition is laid out in cartoon form on YouAreHere.

Walk this way for a visit to the Food Court, where guides Isaac and Emily explain how competition gets you more for your buck.  The question is: pizza, pizza or pizza for lunch? Find out how businesses compete for kids’ dollars by giving them some combination of better prices, bigger selection, higher quality, or better service.
At Tripple Cold Creamery, find out how a possible merger of the only two ice cream places in town might tragically threaten dollar scoops of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. It’s serious business.

In the Candytooth Kingdom, you can learn about supply and demand…while playing a game, so it’s not all those graphs of demand curves that you may remember from Econ 101. (Seriously, which makes more sense: the game or the graphs? I know my answer to that question.)

Finally, a quick visit to the Cinema will give you an old-timey-style overview of the FTC’s history, and the low-down on whether Isaac and Emily are dating. (I’m thinking yes.)

Tags: children, competition, economics, kids, merger
Posted in For Kids, NCPW | 4 Comments »

Planning Ahead, Looking Back

January 5th, 2010
by Nicole

Happy New Year! As we get into 2010, I thought a quick look back at 2009 would provide some inspiration.

Our NCPW theme last year was Nuts and Bolts: Tools for Today’s Economy. We focused on resources that would help folks get the most for their money, whether trying to stretch their paychecks, improve their credit history, or tell the difference between a real deal and a scam.

President Obama’s NCPW Proclamation encouraged Americans to “learn about the protections the law affords and to take full advantage of the resources available for consumers of every age.”

The campaign was a terrific success:

• We had over 78,000 visits to the NCPW website between January and March — nearly double the site traffic during the same time the previous year. In addition, we offered a free package of publications through the syndicated column Heloise, which resulted in the distribution of 77,000 publications.
• Our annual Congressional Fair attracted more than 100 Capitol Hill staffers, who took hundreds of publications, videos, and other resources back to their district offices.
• State and local partners reported 44 events during NCPW, including shred-a-thons, workshops, and seminars. If you’ve already planned a local event for 2010, email to let us know.
• And 25 radio stations across aired NCPW PSAs.

Thanks to all our NCPW partners for making last year a success. I hope we will have an even better year in 2010!

While we’re reminiscing, do you remember the theme for NCPW 2005?  Use the comment form to guess.

Tags: NCPW 2009, NCPW 2010, President Obama
Posted in NCPW | 3 Comments »

Welcome to the NCPW Blog

December 22nd, 2009
by David Vladeck, Guest Blogger

Welcome to the blog that will help us launch the 12th annual National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW). The Internet is littered with countless blogs that quickly and quietly fade into oblivion. This will not be such a blog. Much like a carton of milk, this blog has a clear and defined expiration date, but we promise in the interim to provide a lot of helpful information and tips before that time arrives.

So what is National Consumer Protection Week and what exactly are you guys celebrating?
At the FTC, every day is consumer protection day, but once a year, a Presidential proclamation decrees a week in March to be NCPW. For us, NCPW is a time to shine a particularly bright light on consumer protection outreach and education activities that many organizations undertake. This coming year, we will celebrate March 7-13, 2010 as NCPW, and our theme will be Dollars and Sense: Rated A for All Ages. We will highlight the importance of using good consumer sense at every stage of life — from grade school to retirement.

Why a blog?
Through a blog, we can be a little bit less formal than a traditional government website and hopefully, quicker and more responsive. On this blog – for FTC people and NCPW participants – we plan to promote helpful consumer resources, provide examples of successful partnerships and campaigns, explore new outreach ideas, and get feedback from our readers. Many of our blog posts will respond to events in the news and seasonal concerns—like holiday shopping. And it will be a great place for consumers to get helpful tips about how to protect their privacy, manage money and debt, avoid identity theft, understand credit and mortgages, and steer clear of frauds and scams.

How can I help you guys plan an outstanding National Consumer Protection Week?
Our real hope is that the blog will launch an exchange of ideas on how readers use the materials and how they do outreach on consumer protection subjects. We want your comments and we want you to help us create a lively online community for those interested in consumer education. So please, let us know what you think. How can we best prepare for NCPW? What would you like to see in future NCPW blog posts?

Tags: Federal Trade Commission, NCPW Blog, NCPW Partners
Posted in NCPW | 20 Comments »