National Consumer Protection Week is generally observed around the first full week of March every year, and its purpose is to highlight the Federal Trade Commission’s work in protecting U.S. consumers.

It’s a week to remind consumers of their rights and to help them avoid the many frauds and scams that are circulating at the moment. During this week, the FTC offers free materials to educate consumers, plans both physical and virtual events, and encourages everyone to get involved in protecting family members and friends from scams.

Everyone is encouraged to learn more about protecting themselves and their finances during this week.

The History of National Consumer Protection Week

The FTC was formed in 1914 to fight civil crimes under United States antitrust laws. It was also designed as an advocate for consumers to protect them against scams and fraud and to ensure that the market remains competitive.

It created National Consumer Protection Week as one of the tools in its arsenal to protect the consumer from fraud and scams and to ensure consumers are aware of their rights.

Interesting Facts About the Federal Trade Commission

Let’s go over some of the interesting and entertaining facts that we learned about the FTC.

• The FTC was first created to fight monopolists.
• The FTC offers a variety of consumer protection literature free of charge.
• The FTC is headed by five commissioners, each serving 7-year terms.
• The FTC has the ability to implement trade regulation rules.

Observing National Consumer Protection Week

One of the ways this week is observed is by the FTC distributing free materials to communities and organizations that request them.

Some of these materials include “How to Avoid Financial Aid Scams,” “How to Successfully Shop for a Mortgage,” and “Avoiding Immigration Scams.” Any organization can order these documents, and many more, from the FTC.

Ordinary citizens can also take the time to observe this week. They can do this by ensuring that their friends and family members are aware of some of the scams circulating nowadays. People can also spread the word about this week using the hashtag #NationalConsumerProtectionWeek to get more people involved.