Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS
DAVID Y. IGE
GOVERNOR
CATHERINE P. AWAKUNI COLÓN
DIRECTOR

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 29, 2017

DCCA Hosts Consumer Fair to Celebrate Month of the Military Consumer

HONOLULU – To kick off the Month of the Military Consumer, the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) will host a consumer protection fair at Windward Mall center court this Saturday, July 1, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  The event is free and open to all members of the public. Representatives from over two dozen government and nonprofit agencies will be on hand to answer questions.

The month of July has been designated the Month of the Military Consumer, a joint initiative between state, federal, and nonprofit agencies to empower active and retired service members, military families, veterans, and civilians in the community.

“We are pleased to work with our military and community partners to help consumers better protect themselves,” said DCCA Director Catherine Awakuni Colón. “Consumer education is a top priority for us, and we offer a wide variety of education materials that cover many areas from financial literacy to information on identity theft and scams.”

Hawaii is home to 47,000 active duty service members and 5,500 National Guard personnel—many of whom face unique challenges. To assist in consumer education for the military and their families, a Military Consumer Fraud Guide is now available for the public courtesy of DCCA.

The booklet offers comprehensive guidelines to protect oneself from fraudulent activities and provides the necessary information to live and work in the State of Hawaii. Information about various issues and consumer topics that often affect our military community are highlighted within including housing, buying a car, payday lending, identity theft, and more. It also provides insight into laws and regulations that are important to know such as attaining a professional license or starting your own business. A copy of the guide is available at https://cca.hawaii.gov/MilitaryConsumer.

Additional information and resources for consumers may be found on the federal Military Consumer Protection website: https://military.consumer.gov.

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About the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs

The State of Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs promotes a strong and healthy business environment by upholding fairness and public confidence in the marketplace, and by increasing knowledge and opportunity for our businesses and citizens in the State of Hawaii. To find out more, visit our website at https://cca.hawaii.gov.

Media Contact:
William Nhieu
Communications Officer
Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
Phone:  (808) 586-7582
Email:  [email protected]