[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 27 (Thursday, February 10, 2005)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 6997-6998]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-2730]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 27 / Thursday, February 10, 2005 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 6997]]


                Proclamation 7869 of February 7, 2005

                
National Consumer Protection Week, 2005

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                This year's National Consumer Protection Week focuses 
                on the impact and problems caused by identity theft and 
                on the steps Government is taking to safeguard personal 
                information. Today, many Americans reveal personal 
                information when making purchases, borrowing money, or 
                opening a bank or credit card account. This information 
                makes it convenient to conduct routine transactions, 
                but consumers must take precautions to protect their 
                names, addresses, phone numbers, Social Security 
                numbers, and account numbers against fraud and theft.

                As one of the highest impact financial crimes in our 
                Nation, identity theft can undermine the basic trust on 
                which our economy depends. Millions of Americans have 
                had their identity stolen, costing them and our 
                country's businesses billions of dollars. Identity 
                theft can shake consumers' confidence, destroy a 
                person's financial reputation, and damage lifelong 
                efforts to build and maintain a good credit rating.

                We are acting to protect citizens from these crimes and 
                the grief and problems they cause. During the last 2 
                years, I have signed the Fair and Accurate Credit 
                Transactions Act of 2003, which makes it easier for 
                consumers to detect and protect themselves from fraud, 
                and the Identity Theft Penalty Enhancement Act, which 
                strengthens the penalties for identity theft. The U.S. 
                Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Bureau of 
                Investigation, and the United States Secret Service are 
                working with State and local officials to stop the 
                criminal networks responsible for much of the identity 
                theft in America. The Federal Trade Commission also 
                trains local law enforcement in detecting and 
                investigating identity theft, and they have set up the 
                Identity Theft Data Clearinghouse, which tracks 
                complaints across the country and provides these 
                records to prosecutors seeking to shut down those who 
                steal our citizens' good names.

                Consumers can learn to prevent identity theft by 
                visiting the National Consumer Protection Week website, 
                www.consumer.gov/ncpw. Working together, we can reduce 
                this growing problem and protect the financial security 
                of our citizens and our Nation.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the 
                United States of America, by virtue of the authority 
                vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United 
                States, do hereby proclaim February 6 through February 
                12, 2005, as National Consumer Protection Week. I call 
                upon government officials, industry leaders, and 
                consumer advocates to provide citizens with information 
                about identity theft and how they can be responsible 
                consumers, and I encourage all citizens to take an 
                active role in protecting their personal information.

[[Page 6998]]

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                seventh day of February, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand five, and of the Independence of the United 
                States of America the two hundred and twenty-ninth.

                    (Presidential Sig.)B

[FR Doc. 05-2730
Filed 2-9-05; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P