NFCC and CBBB Hosted "Protect Your Identity Week," Attracted Thousands

Silver Spring, MD – Recognizing the need for continued education around identity theft prevention, the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) and the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) jointly hosted National Protect Your Identity Week (PYIW) from October 17-24.  

During that one week

• 95 NFCC Member Agencies and BBBs hosted events
• 150 events were held nationwide
• Events were located in 41 states and Puerto Rico
• 500 tons of material were shredded
• Close to 20,000 consumers participated in workshops and shredding opportunities

“When we saw the level of commitment from the NFCC Members and the BBBs, we knew we were going to have a successful event, and we were right!  Knowing that 20,000 people were interested in becoming better equipped to protect themselves against identity theft only serves to underscore the ongoing need for this type of education.  We’re already looking forward to and planning next year’s events,” said Gail Cunningham, spokesperson for the NFCC.   

“BBB has long been a partner of both consumers and small business owners in the fight against identity theft and National Protect Your Identity Week was a great opportunity for us to educate thousands of people across North America,” said Alison Southwick, spokesperson for the Council of Better Business Bureaus. “Preventing identity theft requires ongoing vigilance and BBBs will continue to provide trusted guidance for consumers and small business owners throughout the year.”

Support for the event came from a wide cross-section of national organizations. Coalition Members included the American Bankers Association Education Foundation, AFSA Education Foundation, Consumer Action, Consumer Federation of America, Credit Union National Association, Federal Trade Commission, Identity Theft Resource Center, Jump$tart Coalition for Financial Literacy, Junior Achievement USA, National Council of LaRaza, National Crime Prevention Council, National Education Association Member Benefits, National Sheriff’s Association, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and the National Association of Triads.  MSN Money was once again the national online media sponsor.

The NFCC and the CBBB encourage consumers to remain committed to protecting themselves against identity theft, particularly as the holidays approach.  Putting prevention tips in place is a much better option than spending time and money recovering from ID theft.

About NFCC
The National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC), founded in 1951, is the nation’s largest and longest serving national nonprofit credit counseling organization. The NFCC’s mission is to promote the national agenda for financially responsible behavior and build capacity for its members to deliver the highest quality financial education and counseling services. NFCC Members annually help more than three million consumers through close to 850 community-based offices nationwide. For free and affordable confidential advice through a reputable NFCC Member, call (800) 388-2227, (en Español (800) 682-9832) or visit www.nfcc.org.

About BBB
BBB, the leader in advancing marketplace trust, is an unbiased non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Businesses that earn BBB accreditation contractually agree and adhere to the organization’s high standards of ethical business behavior. BBB provides objective advice, free business BBB Reliability ReportsTM and charity BBB Wise Giving ReportsTM, and educational information on topics affecting marketplace trust. To further promote trust, BBB offers complaint and dispute resolution support for consumers and businesses when there is a difference in viewpoints. The organization is also a recognized leader in developing and administering self-regulation programs for the business community, and, with respect to the advertising industry, does that through a joint venture in conjunction with National Advertising Review Council partners. The first BBB was founded in 1912. Today, 124 BBBs serve communities across the U.S. and Canada, evaluating and monitoring more than four million local and national businesses and charities. Please visit www.bbb.org for more information about BBB.

The identity theft Web sites of www.ProtectYourIDNow.org and www.cuidesuidentidad.org will remain live as resource tools for consumers to use throughout the year. The Web sites include identity theft prevention tips, videos, an interactive quiz to assess your risk of identity theft, and resources for victims. Nationally known identity theft expert and blogger, Robert Siciliano, will continue blogging periodically, allowing consumers to remain up to date on the most recent news related to ID theft.