According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), consumer information can help people recognize a rip-off, smell a scam, or find a fraud. Fraudulent promotions seek to exploit people's financial fantasies, needs, and optimism. But informed consumers are better able to see through frauds and deceptions, whether they take the form of questionable claims in an ad, 'breathless' offers that come in the mail or email, or schemes that sound like sure-fire successes.

NCPW partner organizations provide practical -- and tactical -- tips so consumers can learn and tell others how to make well-informed purchase decisions, avoid scams, protect their personal information, and file a complaint if they're not satisfied. Consumers can read up and boost their marketplace IQ at http://www.consumer.gov/ncpw .

National organizers of this year's NCPW are the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Federal Citizen's Information Center (FCIC), the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Comptroller of the Currency, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators (NACAA), the National Consumers League (NCL), AARP, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Call for Action, the Consumer Federation of America (CFA), and the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG).

"FastPivot.com is proud to be a part of this year's National Consumer Protection Week campaign, along with our local consumer community," said Matthew Ledford, President of FastPivot.com "Consumers are our most effective partners in this effort. We encourage everyone to read up and reach out, learn how to deter fraud and deception in the marketplace -- and tell others." For more information about NCPW, visit http://www.consumer.gov/ncpw or http://www.fastpivot.com/blog to let us know what you think about the topic and sign up for an online webinar.