National Consumer Protection Week 2012 Kicks Off Sunday, March 4

The Federal Trade Commission and more than 30 other federal agencies, consumer groups and national advocacy organizations, in conjunction with state, county, and local government agencies, are participating in National Consumer Protection Week, March 4-10, 2012. National Consumer Protection Week is a coordinated campaign to focus attention on the importance of consumer information and provide people with free resources explaining their rights in the marketplace.

David Vladeck, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, noted the campaign's website, NCPW.gov, available in English and Spanish, hosts a variety of resources on topics that matter to the nation's consumers.

"The information on NCPW.gov can help consumers understand their rights, protect their privacy online and off, manage credit and debt, avoid identity theft, recognize foreclosure rescue scams, and report fraud," Vladeck said. "Visitors can download and print materials to share with friends and neighbors, or use the toolkit to plan a larger community event."

To get materials and view a list of agencies participating in the 14th annual celebration of consumer protection and consumer education, visit the NCPW About Us page.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC's online Complaint Assistant or call
1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC's website provides free information on a variety of consumer topics. Like the FTC on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.