Attorney General Jon Bruning

News Release

                                 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE               Contacts: Holley Hatt, 402.471.2067

                                 October 3, 2007, Noon CDT                  Dave Margritz, USPIS, 402.392.8925

                                                                                                Christine Funcke, USPS, 402.473.1642

Bruning, Margritz, Kowalski Launch Consumer

Campaign Against Fake Checks

(Lincoln, NE) – Attorney General Jon Bruning, U.S. Postal Inspector Dave Margritz, and Lincoln U.S. Postmaster Kerry Kowalski today kicked off the launch of a new Web site, FakeChecks.org, and advertising campaign to educate consumers about fake check scams.

The nationwide campaign was officially launched today by the Alliance for Consumer Fraud Awareness (Alliance). The Alliance is a new partnership, spearheaded by the United States Postal Service and the Postal Inspection Service. The members include 20 financial institutions, associations, consumer advocacy groups and businesses.

“Every year, hundreds of Nebraskans lose their hard-earned money in fake check scams,” Bruning said. “It’s time to put a stop to it and give consumers better tools to identify fraud before they are victimized.”

The campaign consists of national television, print and online advertisements supporting the message that financial scams do not work in person, but rather require the anonymity of the Internet. The Alliance has set up an interactive Web site, FakeChecks.org, where consumers can educate themselves and report fraudulent activity.

“Strangers don’t exist to make you rich,” Margritz said. “If you deposit that fake check and wire them your real money, there will be a winner, but it won’t be you. Don’t play their game, help us shut them down.”

“By continuing to educate consumers about these scams, we can prevent these painful financial losses,” Kowalski added. “We are counting on everyone to spread the word about the tools available to consumers, like FakeChecks.Org. They help our friends and family members recognize the warning signs of a scam and report this fraudulent activity.”

Events promoting the Alliance, the consumer education campaign and the FakeChecks.org Web site are being held across the country. Television, print and Internet advertisements began running Sept. 24.

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An audio clip about the campaign is posted on the Attorney General’s Web site at www.ago.state.ne.us.