A Call to Action

Never in the 11-year history of the Federal Trade Commission’s National Consumer Protection Week has the need for consumer education been more apparent. On the heels of President Obama’s historic address before Congress – an  outline of the administration’s ideas on how to kick-start the economy – the FTC and government agencies and national consumer groups are offering Americans the tools to “stretch their paychecks, find a quick fix for a spotty credit history, or tell the difference between a real deal and a potentially fraudulent product or service.”

Both fronts are critically important to America’s economic recovery.  Responsibility for strategy lies with the federal government, and the obligation to faithfully carry out the government’s mandate rests with America’s financial institutions. However, the front lines of America’s economic relief efforts will ultimately be manned by consumers, whose decisions on how to spend and how to save also can stabilize the economy. This is what makes efforts like National Consumer Protection Week so important: the absence of strong data security can undermine the positive impact of any amount of spending and savings. This applies to institutions charged with protecting sensitive consumer information and to individuals whose own financial literacy must include a thorough understanding of how to safeguard their privacy.

We encourage you to visit the FTC’s National Consumer Protection Week 2009 web site, which offers tips for consumers and tools for organizations interested in promoting consumer-friendly practices.

National Consumer Protection Week rightly requests participation from all organizations and individuals. So for the next week, we’ll be highlighting FTC and partner agencies’ identity theft educational efforts. Millions of viewers tuned in to hear the president’s first address to Congress. Let’s hope as many are exposed to the government’s message of consumer empowerment.  Help spread the word!