Other LanguagesSEATTLE — The Washington State Attorney General’s Office and Better Business Bureau are partnering up for National Consumer Protection Week, March 2-8. Both agencies are committed to providing Washingtonians with tools to protect themselves against growing scams and helping people make better purchasing decisions.
“You are your own best shield against identity thieves and online threats,” says Attorney General Bob Ferguson. “I am proud to partner with the Better Business Bureau during National Consumer Protection Week. This is an ideal time to ensure you know how to sniff out scams and make smart buying decisions.”
“National Consumer Protection Week is a coordinated campaign where consumers can take advantage of useful information to help them make better-informed decisions,” says Tyler Andrew, CEO of BBB serving Alaska, Oregon and Western Washington. “We’re a proud partner of National Consumer Protection Week and the Washington State Attorney General’s Office. We encourage Washingtonians to use our resources as a way to combat scams.”
The AGO and BBB will be posting daily tips throughout the week on their websites and social media pages. Together, the two aim to address growing problems surrounding technology, identity theft, health and safety as well as other consumer-related issues.
To get involved in National Consumer Protection Week checkout ncpw.org, follow the AGO on Twitter and visit BBB’s Facebook page.
General tips to avoid scams:
- Make sure they’re legitimate; research businesses or organizations before spending money.
- Do not give Social Security, financial or other personal information to strangers who make contact by phone, internet or mail.
- Keep antivirus software up to date and be careful when surfing the Internet.
- Shred all physical copies of important documents when they are no longer needed.
- Trust instincts; if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
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