FTC/States Urge Consumers to "Ditch the Pitch"

The Federal Trade Commission and several states nationwide including North Carolina, Virginia, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, and Illinois will be hosting a joint press conference at FTC Headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, October 18, 2001 at 11:00 a.m. EST to announce the results of "Operation Ditch the Pitch," a joint federal/state law enforcement sweep targeting fraudulent telemarketing and cold-calling operations. In addition, new educational resources designed to help consumers identify and avoid telemarketing scams will be presented and available for distribution. Also attending the press conference and available for one-on-one media interviews will be two consumer victims of alleged telemarketing fraud.