UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20580 

Office of the Chairman 

Statement of Acting Chairman Maureen K. Ohlhausen on the Release of the 

Staff Perspective, A Closer Look at the Military Consumer Financial Workshop 

February 2, 2018 

Before dawn on February 3, 1943, the U.S. Army Transport ship Dorchester took fire from an 

enemy submarine in the North Atlantic and began to sink. Scores of men died from the blast and 

many were injured. Panic soon set in among the soldiers trying to make their way to lifeboats in 

the darkness. In the chaos, four chaplains moved among the men, calming them, and passing out 

lifejackets. When there were no more lifejackets in the storage room, the four chaplains, from 

four different denominations, quietly took off their own and handed them to four frightened 

young men. As the ship went down, survivors in nearby rafts saw the chaplains with their arms 

linked and heard them praying and singing hymns. One survivor called it “the finest thing I have 

seen or hope to see this side of heaven.” 

On February 3, 2018, we recognize Four Chaplains Day on the 75th anniversary of their selfless 

deed. It’s also a time to reflect on the sacrifices that all servicemembers, veterans and military 

families make. All Americans are in their debt. 

One of my priorities as Acting Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission is assisting the men 

and women who put their lives on the line for our country. We know that service personnel and 

their families face unique challenges during military life. With repeated deployments and 

frequent moves, the military community can be more susceptible to financial challenges like 

identity theft and scams. The importance of these concerns doesn’t diminish when military 

families transition to civilian life. The financial decisions they make while in the service can 

have a lasting impact on their future. 

Staff’s perspective paper, A Closer Look at the Military Consumer Financial Workshop, 

describes one of our recent initiatives aimed at protecting military consumers. At the workshop, 

we discussed issues that military consumers face and the FTC’s approach to helping them, one 

that includes law enforcement and education. First, through our cases, we hope to stop scams that 

cause real harm to military and veteran consumers. Whether a scheme involves deceptive 

practices related to debt collection, student loan debt relief, diploma mills or other kinds of 

misconduct, the FTC will pursue law enforcement cases to protect the servicemembers, veterans, 

and their families. 

Second, our education initiatives are designed to give the military community the tools to avoid 

scams in the first place. We worked with the Department of Defense to create 

Military.Consumer.gov, a tool for financial readiness. The site has short, actionable, mobilefriendly tips, plus slides and talking points, to help military personnel and spouses buy a car, rent 

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an apartment, manage their money, and avoid scams. Connect with Military Consumer and share 

the tips on Facebook and Twitter. 

Finally, July will be Military Consumer Month. I’m designating this year’s theme Seeing 

Through Imposter Scams. Imposter scams have been one of the top complaints reported to the 

FTC by servicemembers, veterans, and their families. Imposters come in many varieties, but the 

fraud works the same way: a scammer pretends to be someone you trust to convince you to send 

them money or sensitive information. Military Consumer will explain how these scams work, 

with details about their various come-ons and tricks – whether they involve a supposed 

emergency with a family member, an online love interest pressuring you for money, or one of 

many other twists and variations. We hope to empower you to share these tips with colleagues, 

friends, family, and neighbors to help them get wise about imposters’ lies. 

To all members, current and former, of our Armed Forces, you have risked your lives to protect 

all of ours, and the freedoms we enjoy and often take for granted. We are in debt to you for your 

many sacrifices and a crucial part of our mission. 

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