[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 45 (Monday, November 15, 1999)]
[Pages 2280-2281]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
The President's Radio Address

November 6, 1999

    Good morning. Today I want to talk to you about new steps we're 
taking to make America safer for consumers, particularly for older 
Americans.
    For 7 years now, we've worked hard to build safer streets and 
stronger communities, and our strategy is working. We have the lowest 
crime rate in 30 years. Our Nation is safer. But no one really believes 
America is as safe as it can be. We have to fight all kinds of crime at 
every level.
    To many of our most vulnerable citizens, especially our seniors, the 
greatest threat may not come from a criminal on the street, but from a 
scam artist on the phone. Every year, illegal telemarketers bilk the 
American people of an estimated $40 billion, and more than half the 
victims are over 50 years of age.
    Telemarketing thieves are stealing more than money; they're stealing 
people's hopes and dreams and their security. In far too many cases, 
victims have been robbed of savings they've spent a whole lifetime 
building up. Some have even lost their homes as a result.
    Over the years, I've taken a number of steps to crack down on 
telemarketing fraud. I signed into law the toughest criminal penalties 
for telemarketing crimes in history. Our enforcement efforts have 
resulted in more than 300 convictions nationwide. But we have to do 
more.
    Today I am announcing important new tools to help government, 
organizations, and consumers take action. And I'm directing the Attorney 
General to send me a plan to crack down on consumer fraud. Specifically, 
I'm calling on the Justice Department to strengthen prevention and 
enforcement and improve coordination among the Federal Government, State 
and local law enforcement officials, and our consumer groups.
    Citizens also need new tools to take on telemarketing fraud and to 
find out where to go for help. According to a recent study, one out of 
four Americans said they wouldn't know where to turn if they were 
victimized by a telemarketing scam. This is an even greater concern as 
we enter the holiday season and the chance of becoming a victim of fraud 
rises.
    That's why today we're launching a new nationwide campaign to help 
consumers fight telemarketing ripoffs. It's called Project kNOw Fraud, 
and it's led by the U.S. Postal Service, the American Association of 
Retired Persons, the Council of Better Business Bureaus, the Department 
of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission, the National Association of 
Attorneys General, and the Securities and Exchange Commission.
    This campaign will give consumers new resources to slam the phone on 
telemarketing scams. Beginning November 15th, every household in America 
will receive an easy to read postcard with commonsense tips and 
practical guidelines to prevent telemarketing fraud. This is the largest 
consumer protection mailing in our history. It will provide information 
you can keep by the phone to help you distinguish between fraudulent and 
legitimate telemarketers. The bottom line is this: You must familiarize 
yourself with the telltale signs of fraud, and don't give out important 
personal financial information to an unknown caller.
    We're also establishing a new toll free number that will soon be up 
and running to help people who believe they've been the victims of 
telemarketing fraud. It will provide links to law enforcement officials 
who will be able to share information and track down patterns of fraud. 
As many as 1\1/2\ million callers are expected to utilize this new 
service every year. We've also created a new website for consumers to 
receive fraud prevention information and even file a complaint on-line. 
It can be found at www.consumer.gov.
    With our actions today we're sending a clear message to fraudulent 
telemarketers: We've got your number, and we won't let you off the hook.

[[Page 2281]]

    As we close out the budget season in Washington, I urge Congress to 
send the same message, to reject arbitrary, across-the-board cuts that 
will undermine our law enforcement efforts and instead send me a budget 
that will protect our families and our communities and advance our 
values.
    Let's all answer the call of the American people, put partisanship 
aside, and finish the work we've been sent here to do.
    Thanks for listening.

Note: The address was recorded at 7:15 p.m. on November 5 in the Room 
137 at Englewood High School in Chicago, IL, for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. 
on November 6. The transcript was made available by the Office of the 
Press Secretary on November 5 but was embargoed for release until the 
broadcast.