What is the Bureau of Consumer Protection?

Consumer protection acts are the consumer protection laws and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the Bureau of Consumer Protection, an enforcement agency. Herein, if you receive a free credit report, place your name on the National Do Not Call Registry, or refer to product warranties’, stickers on home appliances showing the energy costs, or clothing care labels, you are witnessing enforcement in action by the consumer protection agency.

The consumer protection agency’s mission is to protect consumers against unfair, fraudulent or deceptive practices in the marketplace. The FTC performs investigations, sues people and companies who violate the law, develops rules to protect consumers, and educates consumers and businesses about their rights and responsibilities. The Bureau also collects complaints about consumer fraud and identity theft and makes them available to law enforcement agencies across the country.

Here are seven areas of expertise of the seven divisions of the FTC:

It plans, develops, and implements national print, radio, television, and internet campaigns to make consumers aware of their rights under the consumer protection laws and to clarify compliance to industry.

Consumer and Business Education

Advertising Practices
The department of consumer protection safeguards consumers’ interests by enforcing the existing marketing and advertising laws, with particular interest in food claims, over-the-counter pharmaceutical drugs, alcohol dietary supplements, and tobacco. The FTC also maintains overview of the internet and high-tech products, such as distribution of spyware.

Financial Practices
Consumers must be protected from unfair and deceptive practices in the financial services industry, including from discriminatory or predatory lending practices, debt collection, loan servicing, credit counseling or other debt services practices.

Enforcement Litigates
It has the ability to pursue civil contempt and penalty actions to enforce all FTC federal court injunctions and administrative orders that address consumer protection issues, inclusive of financial and advertising practices, telemarketing, high-tech fraud, data security, and other swindles.

Additionally, coordinates actions with other criminal law enforcement agencies through its Criminal Liaison Unit; takes up civil litigation against entities who defraud consumers.

Privacy and Identity Protection
The protection of consumers’ financial privacy is paramount to the bureau. It investigates data security breaches; helps in prevention of identity theft and supports consumers who have been victims of identity theft; and executes laws and regulations pertaining to the credit reporting industry, such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Marketing Practices
The bureau responds to telecommunications, Internet, direct-mail fraud; fraudulent business, investment, and work-at-home based business schemes; and Do Not Call provision violations.

Planning & Information
The consumer protection agency is also a hub that collects, analyzes, and cooperates with various local, state, and national law enforcement agencies to identity theft, consumer fraud, and National Do Not Call Registry complaints. The bureau also aids in the dissemination of redress to consumers; and offers technological investigative and litigation assistance.