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FACT SHEET

ALLIANCE FOR CONSUMER FRAUD AWARENESS

The Alliance for Consumer Fraud Awareness is a private-public initiative spearheaded by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Members represent 20 financial institutions, associations, consumer advocacy groups and businesses.

Formed in October, 2006, the Alliance created a national consumer awareness campaign that launched in October, 2007, with goals to:

• increase Americans’ awareness about fraudulent financial schemes;
• give consumers valuable information about protecting their assets from
  the schemes;
• provide a central location where consumers can report suspected financial fraud.

Scams that involve counterfeit checks, gift checks, traveler’s cheques or money orders have become increasingly popular and are targeting virtually every American primarily through email, but also mail and phone solicitations. These schemes include: foreign business offers; sudden riches; love losses; work-at-home; overpayments and rental schemes.

The Alliance has supported the creation of a new National Consumers League (NCL) Web site, fakechecks.org, to educate consumers on these scams. Alliance members have also provided in-kind services, such as distributing Campaign information to their customers and employees.

Members of the Alliance for Consumer Fraud Awareness include:

To learn more about the Alliance for Consumer Fraud Awareness, visit fakechecks.org.

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