Executive Russ Pry ,Summit County Office of Consumer Affairs Kick-Off National Consumer Protection week

On Monday, March 2, 2009, Summit County Executive Russell M. Pry, in collaboration with the Summit County Office of Consumer Affairs, kicked-off National Consumer Protection Week during a press conference held at the Ohio Building, 175 South Main Street in downtown Akron. Summit County Council President Nick Kostandaras (District 1), Summit County Sheriff Deputy Inspector Bill Holland and United States Postal Inspector Terrance Sullivan also addressed the crowd.

The County of Summit has joined a group of federal, state and local government agencies and national consumer organizations launching the 11th annual National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW), March 1-7, 2009. NCPW 2009 – Nuts and Bolts: Tools for Today’s Economy – highlights consumer education efforts across the nation. Information can help people get the most for their money, whether they are trying to stretch their paychecks, find a quick fix for a spotty credit history, or tell the difference between a real deal and a potentially fraudulent product or service.

National organizers of this year’s NCPW include: American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), the Comptroller of the Currency, the Consumer Federation of America, the Council of Better Business Bureaus, the Federal Citizen’s Information Center, the Federal Communications Commission, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Trade Commission, the National Association of Attorneys General, the National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators, the National Consumers League, the United States Department of the Treasury, the United States Postal Inspection Service and the United States Postal Service.

The local observation is being led by the Summit County Office of Consumer Affairs, a government body focused on educating and protecting citizens from unfair, deceptive or unconscionable consumer sales practices and predatory lending.

In 2008, the Office of Consumer Affairs received 267 complaints, fielded over 800 calls for assistance and helped recover over $70,000 through investigation and complaint mediation services. Of the complaints reported, the following issues ranked in the top five:

1. Furniture and Home Furnishings
2. Foreclosure Prevention Services
3. Home Improvements and Repairs
4. Motor Vehicles
5. General Services

To help citizens obtain the information they need to steer clear of scams, schemes and rip-offs, the Summit County Office of Consumer Affairs will be hosting an information fair on Friday, March 6th, from 1 – 3 p.m. at The Job Center, located at 1040 East Tallmadge Avenue in Akron.

Representatives from the following agencies will be on-site to provide citizens with information: the Better Business Bureau, Summit County Office of Consumer Affairs, Summit County Executive’s Office, Summit County Prosecutor’s Office, Summit County Sheriff’s Office, State of Ohio Attorney General’s Office, Ohio Consumer Counsel, Ohio Department of Commerce, United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and the United States Postal Service.

For more information on National Consumer Protection Week, click on www.consumer.gov/ncpw/ .