FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION: Welcome to National Consumer Protection Week 2018

FTC stands up for consumers, SHUTS DOWN SCAMS

ABOVE VIDEO: Kicking off National Consumer Protection Week at the FCC, Chairman Ajit Pai shares what the agency is doing to protect consumers on issues such as illegal robocalls, spoofing scams, bill cramming and slamming or deceptively switching a customer’s phone service.

(FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION) – As the nation’s consumer protection agency, the FTC stands up for consumer rights. Every day, we work to shut down scammers and protect consumers everywhere. But we care just as much about empowering you.

That’s why National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW), now in its 20th year, is so important. We hope you’ll join us to spread the word about consumer protection in your community. Read on to find out what you can do – and how we can help.

NCPW.gov is your gateway to free consumer education tools and resources that can help you spot, stop and report scams. The site hosts a network of more than 200 federal, state and local partners that, like the FTC, are devoted to protecting consumers. The site’s free tools and resources can help you understand your consumer rights, and make better-informed decisions about money.

The FTC also has timely information about staying on top of the latest scam trends. According to our just-released 2018 Consumer Sentinel Data Book, imposter scams, debt collection, and identity theft are the top issues we hear from people about.

To help you spot and avoid those and other consumer protection issues, CLICK HERE for the latest tips and tools. Click here for tips on spotting identity theft and here for even more consumer tips.

Federal Trade Commission: Tips For Using Peer-To-Peer Payment Systems and AppsRelated Story:
Federal Trade Commission: Tips For Using Peer-To-Peer Payment Systems and Apps

I invite you to join the Facebook Live chats we have planned this week with USA.gov, GobiernoUSA.gov, the Social Security Administration, and the National Credit Union Administration. You’ll learn about consumer issues and how to avoid scams, and get answers to your questions. You can find the full details of each Facebook Live chat, including dates and times, here.

I hope you’ll keep consumer protection in mind all year long. Keep in touch with us by subscribing to our blog, where you can stay on top of the latest scams.

Order free consumer education materials in English or Spanish to distribute to your family, friends, and community. And, as always, if you spot a scam, please tell us.

Every report makes a difference.

– Tom Pahl Acting Director, Bureau of Consumer Protection, FTC

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Thomas B. Pahl was appointed Acting Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection by Acting Chairman Maureen K. Ohlhausen on February 21, 2017. 

Thomas B. Pahl was appointed Acting Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection by Acting Chairman Maureen K. Ohlhausen on February 21, 2017. 

He oversees the Commission’s attorneys, investigators, and administrative personnel working to protect consumers from unfair and deceptive practices in the marketplace.  Mr. Pahl first joined the agency in 1990, and spent more than two decades serving in various positions, including as Assistant Director in the Divisions of Financial Practices and Advertising Practices, and as an attorney advisor for former FTC Commissioners Orson Swindle and Mary Azcuenaga. 

Before commencing his current position at the agency, Tom was a partner at the law firm of Arnall Golden Gregory LLP in Washington, D.C., where his practice focused on consumer financial services and other consumer protection matters.  He also was a Managing Counsel at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Office of Regulations, where he was responsible for rulemaking, guidance, and policy development activities relating to debt collection, credit reporting, and financial privacy. 

Tom received his J.D., cum laude from Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago, Illinois, and his B.A., summa cum laude, in economics from the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota.

CLICK HERE FOR BREVARD COUNTY NEWS