Gov't Postcard Fights Scams

A postcard from the government may help you decide which telemarketers are legitimate and which are trying to take you for a ride, President Clinton said Saturday.

In his weekly radio address, Mr. Clinton explained that the postcard is part of "Project No Fraud" -- a joint effort of several government agencies and private organizations to stop 40 to 60 billion dollars a year in telemarketing fraud.

"This is the largest consumer protection mailing in our history," Clinton said in his weekly radio address. "It will provide information you can keep by the phone to help you distinguish between fraudulent and legitimate telemarketers."

An 800-number will also be set up for consumers, and there is already a Web site for getting tips and filing complaints: http://www.consumer.gov.

The postcards, which are scheduled to begin arriving Nov. 15, will include guidelines such as telling consumers to avoid giving unknown callers important financial information.

President Clinton also directed Attorney General Janet Reno to send him a plan to combat consumer fraud and to increase prevention and enforcement.

"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," the president said.

For many Americans, especially the elderly, the greatest threat may not be crime on the street, but scam artists on the phone, Mr. Clinton said.

"Telemarketing thieves are stealing more than money they're stealing people's hopes and dreams and their security," he said.

"Project No Fraud," is being led by the U.S. Postal Service, the American Association of Retired Persons, the Council of Better Business Bureaus, the Justice Department, the Federal Trade Commission, the National Association of Attorneys General and the Securities and Exchange Commission.