Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston

The National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) Conference is a yearly Bank-sponsored symposium for consumer professionals, including bankers and community-based organizations in New England to discuss recent developments in consumer laws, policies, and practices. The goal of this year’s conference was to heighten public awareness of significant developments in the U.S. payments system and evolving fraud schemes perpetrated over the internet and through the traditional mail box. The conference focused on three topics: 1) Check 21 vs. electronic check conversion 2) Stored value cards and 3) Phishing and other fraudulent schemes.

The collaborative partners of NCPW are the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, Massachusetts Consumer’s Coalition, and Consumer World.

Panel I
Check 21 vs. Electronic Check Conversion:
The Case of the Substitute Check and the Disappearing Check

“What Are They Doing To My Check?”
Michael T. Stewart and Carol S. Lewis, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston

When Is Your Check Not a Check?

Panel II
Stored Value Cards:
Not Credit, Not Debit. What Are They?

“Stored Value Cards:
Not Credit, Not Debit, What Are They?”
Sherrie L.W. Rhine, Federal Reserve Bank of New York

Outline of Regulation E
Diane L. Lawton, Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General

Panel III
Phishing and Fraud

“U.S. Postal Inspectors...The Tradition Continues”
Jean M. Zaniewski, United States Postal Inspection Services

When Internet Scam Artists Go "Phishing"
How to Avoid Being Lured into Giving out Personal Information