Consumer outreach workshop

Sally Southey
Assistant Commissioner of Competition
Competition Bureau

Consumer Outreach Workshop

PDF: 1.03 MB

February 16th, 2005
Paris, France

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Overview

• Fraud Prevention Forum
• Initial Research
• 2004 Campaign
• Extending outreach in 2005
• Evaluation and Planning for 2006

The Fraud Prevention Forum

• Established in 1997 as the Deceptive Telemarketing Prevention Forum
• Changed to Fraud Prevention Forum in 2001 to better reflect growing incidence of mass marketing fraud
• Membership includes:
• law enforcement, government agencies
• private sector companies
• consumer and volunteer groups

Objectives

1. Inform and educate the public on the dangers of fraud in Canada and limit victimization
2. Encourage the public to report the incidence and attempted incidence of fraud
3. Make Canada a hostile environment for perpetrators of fraud

Approach

• Comprehensive review of existing information
• Quantitative and qualitative research
• Creative development
• Focus testing
• Launch with partner support

Research Review Findings

• Likelihood of becoming a victim is not predictable by education, income or age
• However, lottery/prize scams include high proportion of older victims
• Older victims of fraud may be less likely to report
  - driven by concern that they not appear incapable of managing
  their affairs

Anti-Fraud Campaign
What Worked:

• Proactive, positive messaging
• Messaging that focuses on raising awareness and educating people
• A clear, concise call to action
• Simple, easy to read text
• Appealing imagery that evokes positive emotions

Anti-Fraud Campaign
What Did Not Work:

• Imagery using stereotypical victims
  - evoked strong undesired emotions e.g.
  - left people feeling dismayed and helpless about fraud
• Messaging that was too broad
  - interpretation left participants confused
• Humorous or lighthearted ads
• Reactive messages
  - left participants feeling helpless and defeated (i.e. like there was nothing they could do about fraud.)
• Authoritarian messages
  - interpreted as blaming the victim and not helpful or inspiring

Creative Materials

• All collateral to be simple with proactive positive messaging
• Posters, brochures and retail counter cards developed
• All contained same message and simple call to action
• Partner branding opportunities on all material

Communications considerations

• Paid advertising too expensive
• Partners' channels of distribution and media coverage to be primary outreach vehicles

Launch Day Media Event

Speeches by:

• Federal Minister of Industry
• Commissioner of Competition
• OPP and RCMP
• Live performance by volunteer sector seniors' awareness group
• Other participants:
  - Victim of fraud
  - FPF representatives from private sector were available to speak to the media

'04 Launch Results

• Media Coverage – 9 million impressions from 15 Media Outlets
  - 11 million additional on-going impressions from recurring regional coverage in New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia
• Coverage focused on Canada as safe haven
• PhoneBusters became secondary message

Post-Launch Action - I

• Materials adapted by US Federal Trade Commission
• OFT posted materials for their stakeholders
• RCMP/OPP: distributed posters and brochures
• PhoneBusters Web site updated
• ABC's of Fraud: National seniors awareness program distributed 20,000 brochures; adopted messaging in all outreach activities
• Better Business Bureaus: Hosting Scam Jams fraud awareness conferences featuring speakers, booths, news coverage

Post-Launch Action - II

Private Sector Action

• EBay Canada, London Drugs – posted campaign messaging on security section of their Web site
• No printed collateral distributed by private sector partners

Post-Launch Action - III

• Visa Canada Anti-Phishing media event - high-tech extension to "Recognize it. Report it. Stop it." Campaign
• Launched in November 2004 with broad NGO support

'05 Campaign

• Returned to partners to encourage them to commit to a concerted campaign
• Once Visa committed, other companies agreed to participate

Communication Objectives for re-launch

• Stop victimization by increasing awareness and educating the public
• Extend and broaden the reach of materials
• Generate consumer word of mouth - get Canadians talking about fraud

Global Reach

• ICPEN Action - Oct 2004 Agreement by 30 countries to promote "February as Fraud Prevention and Awareness Month"

Extending the Reach

• Drew up master list of traditional (e.g. Banks, Credit companies) and non-traditional (e.g. wireless phone, office supply) organizations
• Sent out one-page brief/invite asking them to participate in Fraud Awareness Month

Extending the Reach

• Membership in the Fraud Prevention Forum more than doubled in three months: 4 credit card companies
  - 10+ banks
  - Trade and professional associations
  - Two wireless companies
  - National and regional law enforcement

Extending the Reach

• Provided researched and tested creative materials to all partners for their distribution channels
• Encouraged to use own brand, but asked to maintain look and feel and our logos
• Over 35 million bill inserts sent out in February, plus brochures, Web sites, posters and flyers

Extending Our Reach

• Cantonese and Punjabi translations (largest minority languages in Canada) recently completed
• Retail partners developing print material for in-store displays

Fraud Awareness Month

• Media Launch on February 1st
  - 6 million media impressions from over 20 media outlets
• Strong support from private sector with their own media releases
• On-going media relations throughout February

Next Steps

• Update quantitative survey to see if awareness has changed
• Analysis of media coverage and timing – challenge to sustain interest
• Begin planning and partnerships for 2006