Scambook Alerts That Government Shutdown Closes FTC Website, Do Not Call List
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) October 02, 2013 -- For the first time in seventeen years, the Federal government has shut down, subsequently ending all access to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) main site and the Do Not Call List. Scambook, the Internet’s leading consumer advocacy platform, is alerting consumers about this so they can prepare themselves. Until further notice, consumers will be unable to use the FTC to file complaints, gain helpful information about businesses, or avoid unsolicited telemarketing calls by registering a phone number on the Do Not Call List.
“As the Federal government shuts down, the last thing the public needs is a lack of support at the consumer level. The FTC and the Do Not Call List are both valuable public resources and we are sorry to see them shut down,” says Scambook’s Director of Marketing Kase Chong. “We hope the public is aware of other consumer sites still functioning to offer educational resources and complaint resolution.”
On Tuesday, the FTC website was replaced with the following message:
“Unfortunately, the FTC is closed due to the government shutdown.
• The FTC Premerger Notification Office will be open to accept HSR filings.
• Consumers may file FOlA requests, but they will not be processed.
• Consumers cannot file complaints or register for Do Not Call.
• All public workshops, roundtables, hearings and conferences are postponed until further notice.
• We hope to be open soon.” *
The FTC’s Twitter account, which has also been an excellent resource for consumer information, was also offline due to the shutdown.
Online consumer sites such as Scambook are still receiving consumer complaints as well as dispersing scam information gathered from their public complaint database. Scambook Insights, as well as the Scambook blog, have been providing the public with the most recent consumer threats, scam alerts, and other information to stay safe and protected.
Scambook also offers a list of contact information for each State’s Attorney General and encourages consumers to use these alternative resources while the FTC is unavailable.
About Scambook
Scambook is an online complaint resolution platform dedicated to obtaining justice for victims of fraud with unprecedented speed and accuracy. By building communities and providing resources on the latest scams, Scambook arms consumers with the up-to-date information they need to stay on top of emerging schemes. Since its inception, Scambook has resolved over $10 million in reported consumer damages. For more information, visit scambook.com.
*“Unfortunately, the FTC is closed due to the government shutdown.” http://www.ftc.gov/shutdown.html 10/01/2013
**“FTC (FTC) on Twitter.” https://twitter.com/FTC 10/01/2013
Lisa Inouye, PMBC Group, +1 (310) 777-7546, [email protected]
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