Newsroom

OFT hosts cross border conference of international consumer enforcers

163/04 4 October 2004

International fraud and scams targeted

International consumer law enforcers from 29 countries are converging on the UK for a conference hosted by the OFT.

ICPEN, the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network, is holding its conference in London this year while the presidency is held by the OFT's director of consumer regulation enforcement, Christine Wade.

ICPEN was set up in 1992 to help consumer law enforcers in different countries join forces in tackling cross border problems. This includes co-ordinating an annual worldwide internet sweep searching the internet for websites that make false or deceptive promises. This will be one of the main issues highlighted by the conference, which will include a press briefing about the enforcement action taken as a result of the latest sweep.

ICPEN has been central to the development of cross border co-operation, allowing enforcement agencies from different countries to share information and work together in tackling international scams such as lottery scams from Canada. Another recent example of this is the Swiss authorities, in partnership with the OFT, closing down PO boxes which were being used by over 40 companies to target UK consumers with false prize draws, lottery scams and letters promising a psychic reading bringing money and good luck in exchange for a fee.

Delegates from 29 countries, the European Commission and the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) will be attending. The conference, lasting from 6-8 October, will focus on a range of topics from the enforcement action taken as a result of the worldwide internet sweep to examining the internet marketing of mobile phone services directed at children.

The OFT will also be co-hosting a spam (unsolicited e-mail) workshop on 11 October with the US Federal Trade Commission, which will look at how to achieve globally co-ordinated enforcement against unlawful and deceptive spam. OFT, in conjunction with the Australian ACCC, will support this work with practical best practice training on 11 and 12 October, to enable enforcers globally to adopt the investigative techniques of the more experienced authorities.

Christine Wade said:

'As the global market place shrinks and information and communications systems become ever more sophisticated, so does the threat from rogue traders and scams that exploit consumers. We have to rise to this challenge and work more closely with consumer enforcement agencies in other countries, to share intelligence and tackle scams originating outside our borders. We aim to deliver seamless global enforcement and this conference is central to that process'.

NOTES

1. The OFT took over the presidency of ICPEN on 1 August 2004 from Finland. See press release 117/04

2. For the press notice regarding the Swiss authorities' and OFT's actions see press release 125/04 dated 11 August 2004.

3. The OFT conducted a consumer campaign to raise awareness of Canadian lottery scams on 3 December 2003, see press release 156/03 and put out a consumer alert on the subject. In addition to this Barry Elliott from the Ontario provincial police visited the UK in September and October of 2004 to do a series of talks raising public awareness of lottery scams.

Back to:2004