    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 133, 116th Congress, 1st Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    Proclamation 9848 of March 1, 2019

    National Consumer Protection Week, 2019

    By the President of the United States of America

    A Proclamation

    During National Consumer Protection Week, we redouble our efforts to
    prepare Americans to successfully navigate our dynamic market economy.
    Fraudulent and deceptive financial practices impede our economic success
    by depriving consumers of access to the best, most accurate information
    to guide their choices among competing goods and services.
    We live in an age of rapidly evolving technology, in which more
    Americans conduct their personal and professional business on the
    internet and other mobile platforms. While these technological
    innovations provide convenience to consumers, they also create
    opportunities for scammers, hackers, and identity thieves to commit
    cybercrimes. Each year, fraudulent and deceptive practices cost
    Americans billions of dollars and generate hours of stress and hardship.
    Whether managing bank accounts, paying bills, handling medical records,
    or engaging in e-commerce, basic consumer knowledge is critical to
    financial wellbeing. This includes being vigilant when providing
    personal information--such as social security and bank account numbers--
    online, over the phone, or by mail. Consumers should keep their
    software--including operating systems, web browsers, and applications--
    up to date. They should never provide personal or sensitive information
    to anyone who directly or unexpectedly contacts them. By taking these
    steps and sharing them with family and friends, especially children and
    older Americans, we can help protect against schemes to line the pockets
    of unscrupulous actors.
    My Administration is strongly committed to protecting consumers from
    those who would defraud them. Last year, I signed into law the Economic
    Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act, which
    strengthens protections against identity theft by allowing consumers to
    contact each of the three major credit reporting agencies and freeze
    their credit reports for free. I also established the Task Force on
    Market Integrity and Consumer Fraud within the Department of Justice
    (DOJ) to provide recommendations on regulatory and legislative changes
    needed to improve the investigation and prosecution of fraud and other
    financial crimes that harm Americans. My Administration is also working
    to counter the growing threat of fraud committed against older Americans
    and has taken action to combat cyber fraud. In February 2018, the DOJ
    announced the largest coordinated sweep of elder fraud cases in history,
    as well as the indictment of 36 cyber criminals in one of the largest
    cyber fraud enterprise prosecutions ever.
    National Consumer Protection Week is an opportunity to come together as
    government, industry, community groups, and organizations in support of
    a shared mission--protecting our Nation's consumers. This week, and
    throughout the year, I encourage Americans across our country to take
    advantage of resources that will help them better safeguard their
    personal and financial information so that they can continue to drive
    our dynamic economy for decades to come.

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    NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of
    America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
    the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 3 through March
    9, 2019, as National Consumer Protection Week. I encourage individuals,
    businesses, organizations, government agencies, and community groups to
    take advantage of the broad array of online resources offered by the
    Federal Trade Commission and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and
    to share this information through consumer education activities in
    communities across the country.
    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of March,
    in the year of our Lord two thousand nineteen, and of the Independence
    of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-third.
    DONALD J. TRUMP