News & Announcements

Free Consumer Resources Available from the Federal Trade Commission

At the Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, education is considered a consumer’s first line of defense against fraud and deception in the marketplace. The agency produces practical, objective, actionable and plain language information in English and Spanish to help people avoid rip-offs and exercise their rights.

From sweepstakes scams to online safety and security, telemarketing fraud to travel scams, mortgage foreclosure rescue scams to miracle health claims, or credit reports to bogus cancer cures, the FTC has free articles, brochures, bookmarks, and outreach kits that you can use to help your clients. A full list of resources is at www.ftc.gov/consumer.

In addition to extensive print information, the FTC gathers its consumer information into one-stop websites. Some key topics include:

Telemarketing fraud
Who’s Calling? (www.ftc.gov/phonefraud) provides information about common telemarketing scams and how to avoid them, including credit and loan offers, identity theft, sweepstakes and lotteries, and work-at-home and business opportunities. It also explains and links to the National Do Not Call Registry, where people can register their phone number to limit the telemarketing calls they receive (www.donotcall.gov).

Identity theft
Deter, Detect, Defend: Avoid ID Theft (ftc.gov/idtheft) offers detailed information about avoiding identity theft and what to do if personal information is stolen or abused.

All FTC materials are in the public domain: All consumer information from the FTC tells readers to report scams and fraud to the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters all complaints it receives into Consumer Sentinel, a secure online database that’s used by thousands of civil and criminal law enforcement authorities to pursue legal action.

To order 50 or more copies of publications, visit the FTC’s Bulk Order site: www.ftc.gov/bulkorder.