i'm going to start with lois greisman who is with the federal trade commission. and, lois, do you want to talk briefly about what we're seeing with regard to business opportunity fraud schemes? >> sure. >> thank you. >> thank you, chuck. it's a real problem and it's a problem that's not going away, as chuck highlighted, as others have is highlighted with the economic downturn. people are unemployed, under employed. for various reasons they need to supplement their income. i want to take a moment and say what is a business opportunity? it's a commercial arrangement. i will help set you up in business. you'll pay me to help you set up and i will provide you something that may or may not be real. perhaps it's assistance securing an outlet, setting up a place, location assistance, or maybe i'll be willing to buy back your merchandise which often is the touch stone of the work at home scheme where you'll sit at home stuffing envelopes or building various pieces of crafts and i'll buy them back and i'll find a market for you. consistently a top complaint getter in the

analysts are lois greisman, and division marketing practices, andre birotte who you heard from earlier, united states attorney from central district of california, richard goldberg of the consumer branch civil division of the department of justice, ed mierzwinski, consumer program director with united states public research interest group also known as pirg and peggy shanks who is senior examiner of the maryland attorney general. i turned it over to chuckle. check. >> who among us hasn't that some time or another thought wouldn't it be great if i -- it was a fleeting thought but if we took a poll we would find many think they have within them some place the ability to make it on their own, start their own business, maybe not the next bank but they will do something that will make some extra money. in many instances it stops right there. consumers think -- it pretty much stops at that point. in times of financial anxiety when people are feeling anxious and uncertain i suspect when people are thinking that their job is at stake and they need extra income because they're not getting the h

the panelists are lois lois greisman at ftc, lois greisman here for further earlier, united states attorney for mr. to california, richard goldberg assistant director of consumer branch and civil division of department of justice, at mierzwinski director with united states public interest research group, also known as pirg and peggy shenk, senior examiner at the office of maryland attorney general. so with that i turn it over. >> thanks, mike. [applause] >> by my panelists take your seats here and i'll just begin with an observation. who among us has a one time or another type g, wouldn't it be great if i could go start my own job. maybe he was only a fleeting thought, but i suspect if we took a poll we would find many things they have within them someplace the ability to make it on their own to start their own business. she may be at the very least go out and do something that will make them a little extra money. in many instances the substrate they appear consumers think it would be nice if i had mail business, but they pretty much stop at that point. in times of financial escaping when p

the panelists are lois greisman come associate director and division of marketing pact says that ftc.andre birotte new york from earlier for the central district of california, richard goldberg, assistant director of consumer branching civil division at department of justice. ed mierzwinski, director for the united states public interest research group are also known as pirg and peggy shanks. so with that i turn it over to chat. >> thanks, mike. [applause] >> i'll let my panelists apcs here and i'll just begin with an observation. who among us hasn't at one time or another thought she, would it be great if i could go out and start my job, maybe was only a fleeting thought, but i suspect if we took a pool of consumers who would find many things they have within them someplace the ability to make it on their own, to start their own business, to maybe the next banks, but the very least go and do something and make them a little extra money. in many instances, his stops right there. consumers think you would be nice if i had no business, but they pretty much thought at that point. in term

the panelists are lois greisman.ndr birotte, the united states attorney for the central district of california. richard goldberg, the assistant director of the consumer branch of the addition of justice. a consumer program director of the u.s. public interest research group. also known as pirs. also a senior manager at the office of the attorney general in maryland. [applause] >> i will let my panelists take their seats. i will begin with that observation. who amongst us had thought, would not be great if i could start my own job? maybe that thought was leaking, but we took a poll, we would find many of them think they have within them someplace the ability to make it on their own. to start their own business. maybe they will not start the next spanx, but they will do something to make them extra money. in many instances, that stops right there. consumers think it would be nice to have their own business, but they stop at that point. in times of financial anxiety, when people are feeling uncertain, i suspect when peo