The hearing, organized by the National Association of Attorneys General's subcommittee on sweepstakes promotion, included testimony and panel discussions with industry representatives, experts, and consumers who have been affected by sweepstakes solicitations.
Every crime has a victim.
We often think of sweepstakes fraud as a non-violent crime, but the effects can be just as devastating as being robbed. In Ohio, the number of complaints against sweepstakes companies grew from 362 in 1996 to more than 730 in 1998. Today's hearing is an attempt to find effective solutions to the problems associated with sweepstakes fraud. Montgomery moderated a panel discussion with experts from the sweepstakes industry. The panel consisted of three individuals representing Direct Marketing Association, Magazine Publishers of America, and the Promotion Marketing Association.