Protecting consumers from fraud is one of the Federal Trade Commission’s goal, which it demonstrated by holding an international forum revolving around the issue.
Representatives from more than 40 countries, most of which are a part of the International Consumer Protection Enforcement Network, attended the forum and discussed consumer protection issues and strategies for enforcement. Topics covered included social networking risks, electronic transactions, advance-fee fraud, and decentralized global scams.
FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz said that “American consumers are being targeted more and more by scammers based in other countries, so cross-border cooperation through the ICPEN network is a vital part of the FTC’s consumer protection agenda. ICPEN brings together law enforcement agencies from around the world to share intelligence about consumer fraud and bolster international enforcement efforts.”
A consumer website available for filing cross-border complaints was updated during the conference by 25 members of the ICPEN. People can also find information about solutions to their fraud problems on the site.
Studies showed that fraud cost Americans $54 billion in 2009.