U.S. Postal Service Launches National Consumer Protection Week at Ripley House

“Don’t Fall For a Fake Check Scam”

What:
Postal Service officials will co-host a ”Financial Literacy — A Sound Investment” event to celebrate National Consumer Protection Week. Officials will distribute DVDs and brochures warning against fraudulent financial schemes, providing consumers with valuable information about protecting their assets from the schemes as well as ways to report suspected financial fraud.

Who:
United States Postal Inspectors, representatives from the Better Business Bureau, Child Advocates, and Washington Mutual Bank. Postal Service representatives will process Passport applications, along with photos, and provide eBay Tutorials. Refreshments will be available.

When:
9 a.m.  - 2 p.m.
Wednesday, March 5

Where:
4410 Navigation Blvd.
Houston, TX 77011

Background:
National Consumer Protection Week, set for March 2-8, is a national program led by the Federal Trade Commission to draw attention to issues and ideas that help customers become smarter consumers of products, materials and services and improve their knowledge of how to combat fraud of any type.

The U.S. Postal Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are working to educate consumers about fraudulent schemes and to provide them with the tools and information needed to combat these “fake check” frauds.

The facts are telling: According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, the number of reported fake checks is increasing, from an average of 593 per month in 2004 to an average of 787 per month in 2007. The amount of reported losses from fake check scams has also quadrupled over the past three years. According to the National Consumers League, victims lose an average $3,000 to $4,000.

The Postal Service will point customers to the website established by the Postal Inspection Service and its business partners, www.FakeChecks.org.