National Consumer Protection Week Declared

It is sad but true; someone is always lurking in the shadows, waiting to take advantage of the person seeking a great deal, especially in these trying economic times. The first week of March was dedicated “National Consumer Protection Week” in an attempt to encourage consumers to become more informed to protect themselves from such scammers and con artists.

Top areas highlighted as fraud targets based on complaints received by Florida’s Attorney General in 2008 are:

●Mortgage and loans
●Collection Agencies
●Internet based; phishing
●Auto Dealers (bait and switch)
●Travel Industry (hidden charges, retroactive fuel surcharges)
●Foreign scams
●Financial / Investment scams
●Credit Repair
●Multi-Level Marketing
●Business to Business

As our parents always preached, “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is”. Especially when times are tough, we all want to believe in a single panacea that will take care of all of our problems. Many predators hover in the shadows; waiting to pounce on that hope, and promise to deliver just what you need.

The only way to protect yourself from these scammers and con artists is to be better informed. To ensure that the company you are interested in dealing with on any of these levels is on the up and up, check them out by contacting the Attorney General’s office, the Better Business Bureau or any consumer advocacy group. Prevention is always the best method of damage control. If you have already been contacted by such a company and perhaps have become a victim of fraudulent activity, contact the Attorney General’s office as soon as possible to file a complaint.

More information about National Consumer Protection Week can be found at www.consumer.gov/ncpw. A great source to identify would-be scam opportunities, the site is also a great way to protect you and your finances.