Welcome to the Direct Selling Education Foundation’s (DSEF) Web site supporting the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW). For 13 years, the DSEF has been proud to partner with the FTC and other organizations to offer a wide array of education events and resources that encourage consumers nationwide to take full advantage of their rights and make better-informed decisions.
This year during NCPW, DSEF is joining with our partners in government, non-government, and academia to help them more effectively reach their communities with invaluable consumer education. The foundation is sponsoring five exciting events across the country that will give thousands of individuals the tools they need to navigate such complex consumer issues as planning for retirement, facing unexpected financial challenges and protecting against fraud.
Additionally, you’ll find a wealth of resources on this site and at www.ncpw.gov that will help you protect your privacy, manage your money, learn more about credit and debt, decipher advertising messages, and steer clear of fraud and scams.
DSEF’s NCPW outreach is at the heart of our mission to advance the direct selling industry’s commitment to consumer education and protection and all of us at DSEF hope you’ll join us in celebrating National Consumer Protection Week 2011. Please take a moment to share the resources on this Web site with others in your communities and companies and, together, we’ll help build a nation of better-informed and educated consumers.
Charles. L. Orr
Executive Director
Direct Selling Education Foundation
DSEF Sponsors U of U Contest
DSEF and the University of Utah (U of U) are sponsoring an online contest during National Consumer Protection Week designed to help participants learn the basics of retirement planning. More than 10,000 U of U employees will have the chance to take a “retirement IQ test” and win a $250 contribution to a new or existing retirement account. The test will cover topics such as:
Check back soon for the contest Web site address. For more information, contact Dr. Robert Mayer at Robert.Mayer@fcs.utah.edu, or call 801.581.5771.
The LA County Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) the Los Angeles Unified School District’s (LAUSD) and Evans Community Adult School will hold the 20th Annual Consumer Education Fair at Evans Community Adult School in L.A. on March 2 and 5, 2011. More than 8,000 adult students of diverse backgrounds are expected to attend to learn how to be smarter consumers, access public and non-profit agencies and obtain assistance with consumer issues.
A DSEF representative will be on hand at the fair to provide attendees with consumer information to help them identify legitimate direct selling opportunities and ensure a safe and satisfying experience with sellers who may come to their homes. Additionally, the foundation awarded Evans a grant to give a voucher for school books and supplies to a selected student in all 207 classes.
Evans is the largest adult school in the country and serves newly arrived immigrants who have limited English skills—a prime target of consumer fraud. The Consumer Education Fair helps this multi-ethnic community to protect themselves in the marketplace.
For more information, contact Judith Ramirez, County of Los Angeles Department of Consumer Affairs at jramirez2@dca.lacounty.gov or call 213.974.4144.
DSEF partnered with the Credit Union National Association (CUNA), to provide women with the information they need to meet unique challenges that affect their financial security. Learn how to prepare for unexpected situations that impact your finances such as:
Click here to view the presentation.
For more information, contact Jan Garkey, Manager, Adult Member Education Center for Personal Finance, CUNA, at j800-356-9655 ext. 4092, or e-mail her at
jgarkey@cuna.com.
DSEF Sponsors FREE Teleseminar
Marlo Thomas, actress, author and National Outreach Director for St. Jude’s Hospital, is Money Wise Women President Marcia Brixey’s special guest on the March 8, 2011, Money Wise Women Get Smart Teleseminar, sponsored by DSEF. Thomas will discuss her book, Growing Up Laughing, her Web site and her passion for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which was founded by her father, Danny Thomas, in 1962. The teleseminar is FREE and more details can be found at http://InstantTeleseminar.com/?eventid=17584149.
DATE: Tuesday, March 8, 2011
TIME: 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM (PST)
CALL-IN # and ID CODE: (703) 344-2171, 261897#
Consumer Federation of the Southeast to Hold
April Fool’s Day Media Event
To raise public awareness about the growing problem of consumer fraud, the Consumer Federation of the Southeast (CFSE) will hold a “Don’t Be Fooled” news event on April 1, 2011. Tallahassee-based CFSE will engage local and state media and government officials to help bring attention to the most common scams that target consumers, and to educate consumers on how they can protect themselves.
CFSE is a not-for-profit consumer advocacy group dedicated to consumer advocacy in the Southeastern United States. Its goal is to establish a vigorous, new, pro-consumer agenda built upon public awareness, consumer education, and coalition-building.
For more information, contact Walt Dartland at 850-562-2086 or visit www.consumerfederationse.com
The 2011 National Consumer Protection Week Web site and the FTC offer a wealth of free information to help you make better informed decisions on finances, health, privacy, technology and more. Some highlights included:
Money Matters: Tips for understanding credit, handling debt and avoiding scams are essential to smart money management, especially in hard economic times.
Fighting Back Against Identity Theft: A one-stop national resource with information about identity theft and tips to help you deter, detect, and defend against this crime.
Who Cares: Information About Health Care Products and Services: Links to agencies and organizations that provide free information about generic drugs, hormone therapy, caregiving, surgery to improve vision, alternative medicine, hearing aids, Medicare fraud, medical ID theft and other topics.
OnGuard Online: Tips to help you be on guard against Internet fraud, secure your computer and protect your personal information.
Each day, families across America navigate complex financial decisions, from buying a home or car to paying off a loan or using a credit card. Consumer education is vital to protecting American families and preserving economic health in the United States. When fully informed about the potential risks in the marketplace and their rights as consumers, Americans are better able to recognize misinformation, scams, and abusive and deceptive practices that can endanger individual economic security and erode the prosperity of our communities.
For more than a decade, National Consumer Protection Week has encouraged Americans to make better-informed decisions about saving, buying, borrowing, and investing. [continued]
