Attorney General Long Joins National Organizations to Sponsor Ninth Annual National Consumer Protection Week

PIERRE, S.D.-Attorney General Larry Long said today that his office has joined a group of federal, state, and local government agencies and national consumer advocacy organizations to launch the ninth annual National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW), February 4-10, 2007. This year’s focus "read up and reach out to be an informed consumer" is a joint educational effort to fight fraud in communities across the nation. 

According to the Federal Trade Commission, consumer information can help people recognize a rip-off, identify a scam, or find a fraud. Fraudulent promotions seek to exploit people’s financial fantasies, needs, and optimism. NCPW partner organizations provide practical tips so consumers can learn and tell others how to make well-informed purchase decisions, avoid scams, protect their personal information, and file a complaint if they’re not satisfied. 

"The Consumer Protection Division works diligently to educate South Dakota consumers," said Long. "Recognizing fraud and sharing this information with others is the first step in prevention."

National organizers of this year’s NCPW are the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Citizen’s Information Center, the U.S. Postal Service and Inspection Service , the Federal Communications Commission, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Comptroller of the Currency, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators, the National Consumers League, AARP, the Better Business Bureau, Call for Action, the Consumer Federation of America, and the National Association of Attorneys General.

If you need additional information about NCPW, visit http://www.consumer.gov/ncpw or contact the South Dakota Consumer Protection Division at 1-800-300-1986. 

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