Good News for Consumers from "consumer.gov"

Internet explorers who surf the Net looking for help have a new source of consumer news and information at http://www.consumer.gov (no period). The web site offers a broad array of consumer information on topics that include health and safety issues, money and credit, children and education, the environment, transportation, food and more. The project is a cooperative effort of the Federal Trade Commission, Securities and Exchange Commission, Food and Drug Administration, Consumer Product Safety Commission and National Highway Transportation Safety Administration that consolidated the information from their own web sites at consumer.gov (no period).

"Savvy consumers will want to add consumer.gov to their 'bookmarks' or 'favorite places,'" said Jodie Bernstein, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection. "The site offers surfers one-stop shopping for a wide array of consumer news."

"Federal agencies generate a wealth of useful consumer information -- information about product recalls; tips on how to avoid scams; smart shopping suggestions; who to contact with a consumer complaint. But consumers have to guess where information is, figure out who generated it and try to find it. With consumer.gov the information will be in one place," Bernstein said.

Consumer.gov provides consumer information in 10 categories: food; health; home; transportation; children; smart buying; product safety; money and education. The site will provide links to additional web sites containing consumer information. The FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection maintains the site server and provides technical support.

Copies of FTC consumer and business education publications are available on the Internet at http://www.consumer.gov, on the FTC's World Wide Web site at: http://www.ftc.gov and from the FTC's Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 6th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580; 202-326-3128; TTY for the hearing impaired 1-866-653-4261. To find out the latest news as it is announced, call the FTC NewsPhone recording at 202-326-2710.