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Calling for Accountability of the Federal Trade Commission

If you didn't already know, I'm pretty mad at the FTC. Though ID theft has been the top consumer complaint for the last 6 years running, though they have put a large amount of resources into their consumer education campaign (on their anti-ID theft website for example), though the chairwoman of the FTC, Deborah Platt Majoras, co-chaired the Presidential ID Theft Taskforce, they have completely failed to educate customers about Credit Security Freezes. I sent a member of the FTC's media relations department an e-mail requesting to know how the FTC is doing their job if they won't promote credit freezes, but, of course, I got no reply. Therefore, I'm going to see what happens if I contact the Government Accountability Office instead. Their job is to report any agency that is wasting tax-payer money right? So this should be right up their alley. Here's the e-mail I sent them:
To whom it may concern, I am a computer security professional who has worked to bring more attention to the ID theft issue and viable solutions to the problem. I have long been frustrated that the Federal Trade Commission has failed to propose or recommend the one most valuable tool in combating ID theft that there is. Credit Security Freezes, which have been enacted in many states, allow customers to lock their credit files under a special code or password that only the consumer knows. Once frozen, anyone who would attempt ID theft (in situations that require a credit check) would fail no matter how much of the consumer's personal information that the thief has. Freezes are fast, simple, effective, low cost, and provide peace of mind. The only people who don't want to see this in action are the credit reporting companies themselves who make millions by selling the information they gather to as many people as they can, thief or otherwise. But the question wasn't "how can we keep credit reporting company's profit lines intact", it's "how can we curb or eliminate ID theft". My point in contacting you is that the FTC is well aware of how important Freezes are, but does not include much (if any) information on them on the FTC's website or in their training and public education efforts. Further, the presidential ID theft task force co-chaired by the chairwoman of the FTC included a very small negatively worded summary of Freezes as being something that would be more likely to "inconvenience the consumer". The FTC is wasting millions of dollars, wasting our time, and not doing their job by ignoring this simple solution to what has been the top consumer complaint for the last 6 years (and counting). Please let me know if your agency has authority to call them to task for their unconscionable waste of money and efforts and, if not, please let me know who does. Thank you for your time. Jeremy Duffy CISSP
2007 Oct 09 No response. Not that I'm surprised.

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If you want to learn more about my professional background, click here to learn more.

Check out one of my guides/tutorials:

warranties Tutorial
|INDEX|next: Extended Warranties
First, always learn what coverage you get for free from the manufacturer.
When offered an extended warranty, make sure you understand the basics.
They want you to buy it, but is it as easy to use as they say?
Know beforehand what circumstances and terms put the purchase of a warranty in your favor
Once you need to use the warranty, make sure you know the steps to take.
Finally, learn why you should even bother with this mess.
Now it's time to make the decision of whether to buy or not.

... or check out any of my other guides and tutorials by clicking here!

Manufacturer Warranties

Products you purchase in the store almost always have warranties already. Depending on how good it is, you could be completely wasting your money buying an extended one when the default one will do.

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Extended Warranties

What is an extended warranty and how do you know when you see one?

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Surprise! You're Not Covered

If you're going to spend your money on a warranty, first consider all the factors.

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Learning the Warranty Odds

Learn what important aspects of a warranty you need to look for to make sure you're getting a good deal.

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How to Use Your Warranty

Once it's time to use your warranty, make sure you know how to navigate the system.

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Warranty Successes

Read some examples of how I've personally used warranties in my favor over the years.

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Warranty Decision

In the end, how do you decide whether to buy the warranty or not?

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