Fraud Prevention Month to Focus on Online Fraud

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - March 1, 2011) - The Competition Bureau announces today its participation in Fraud Prevention Month, which this year focuses on the growing problem of online fraud. Fraud Prevention Month is an annual education and awareness campaign held in Canada and around the world.

One of the first activities during Fraud Prevention Month is the conference Preventing Fraud in a Digital Age, which will be held in Ottawa on March 7 and 8, 2011. This conference will unite participants from the private and public sectors, consumer groups, and law enforcement organizations committed to cracking down on this growing concern. Conference attendees will learn more about the current state of fraud in Canada and abroad, identify the most at-risk groups, share best practices on recognizing and preventing fraud, and ultimately provide recommendations that the partners in fraud prevention can implement to help protect consumers and businesses from online fraud.

The conference is being hosted by the Fraud Prevention Forum, which is co-chaired by the Competition Bureau. The Fraud Prevention Forum is a group of over 100 private sector firms, consumer and volunteer groups, government agencies and law enforcement organizations, concerned with fighting fraud aimed at consumers and businesses. During Fraud Prevention Month, Forum members will participate in a number of targeted activities across the country, designed to raise awareness among consumers and businesses about the dangers of fraud.

In addition, the Competition Bureau's Web site provides important education and prevention information including a new interactive quiz designed to test consumers' and businesses' fraud awareness. Visitors will also learn more about some of the various types of scams that they should watch out for: job opportunity scams, fake news sites, fraudulent health products, prize scams, and advertisements on social networking sites. To try the quiz and to learn more on how to protect yourself, please visit www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/fraud.

If you wish to report instances of fraud, contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at www.antifraudcentre.ca or call 1-888-495-8501 or the Competition Bureau at www.competitionbureau.gc.ca or call 1-800-348-5358.

The Competition Bureau, as an independent law enforcement agency, ensures that Canadian businesses and consumers prosper in a competitive and innovative marketplace.

FRAUD: Recognize It. Report It. Stop It.

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