Keeping Families Safe Articles

Las Vegas, NV - Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto's Bureau of Consumer Protection, in conjunction with the launch of the 12th Annual National Consumer Protection Week, March 7-13, 2010, is issuing a series of daily consumer advisories. The theme of the Consumer Protection Week is Dollars & Sense: Rated "A" for All Ages.

"Unfortunately, when the economy is in a downturn, scam artists seem to come out in droves to victimize unwary consumers. Fortunately, when people are alert to this fact, it provides teachable opportunities for the youngest members of our society - our children and teenagers," said Masto.

The Attorney General's Bureau of Protection reminds Nevadans it's never too early to become an informed and empowered consumer. Teachers and parents should know there are some valuable resources available free of charge that will not only teach kids to be alert consumers, but will also ensure they are better protected from predators.

For elementary and middle school aged kids, there is a fun, informative, interactive site sponsored by the Federal Trade Commission ("FTC") which can be found at www.ftc.gov/YouAreHere. This site teaches kids about important consumer concepts such as target advertising and spotting deception. It also teaches about privacy and identity theft, fraud and other scams as well as competition and antitrust law. The site uses avatar peers to provide easy-to-understand instruction in a way that kids will enjoy and remember.

By utilizing this site and others that are available on the FTC's National Consumer Protection Week 2010 website at www.consumer.gov/ncpw, parents and teachers can ensure that our kids do not become victims of fraudsters looking for an easy target.

Another valuable resource can be found either through a link on the FTC website above or directly at www.onguardonline.gov. This website provides important information for kids and adults to ensure personal internet on-line safety. From the website, parents and educators can download a free copy of Net Cetara - a guide for Chatting with Kids about Being On-line. The guide is designed to protect kids of varying ages from inappropriate conduct, inappropriate contact, or inappropriate content which can occur through the Internet or through cell phones. The guide suggests parents and teachers talk with teens and "tweens" (ages 8 to 12) about Internet and mobile telephone safety. Recently defined terms such as "sexting," "cyberbullying," "phishing," and "P2P file sharing" can be found in the guide along with suggestions on how to avoid becoming a victim through social networking.

More sites and information can be found through the FTC by selecting the "For Kids and Parents" link at the top of the website. These sites include Federal Reserve for Kids, FDIC Learning Bank, and Kids.gov, the official kids' website from the U.S. (federal) government, linking to over 2,000 web pages from government agencies, schools, and educational organizations, which are divided by age group and topic.

"I am pleased to join federal, state and local government agencies and national consumer advocacy organizations in consumer education efforts in the communities across the nation," said Attorney General Masto. "As part of this program, we will be issuing a daily consumer advisory regarding issues particularly relevant to Nevada consumers."

Consumer protection information can also be found on the Attorney General's website at www.ag.state.nv.us, the Nevada Fight Fraud website at www.fightfraud.gov, and at the Federal Trade Commission website at www.ftc.gov.