McGruff Investment Fraud Video Series – Wins Hermes Creative Gold Award

WASHINGTON, June 17, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC), home to icon McGruff the Crime Dog, and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Investor Education Foundation joined forces to educate and empower consumers to avoid financial fraud. The result is a national Investment Fraud Prevention Program and an award-winning public service advertising series.

Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150617/223776

The Hermes Creative Awards has presented the McGruff Investment Fraud Video Series – Pawn in an Investment Scheme with its 2015 Gold Award in its educational video category.  The mission of the Hermes Creative Awards is to honor excellence and recognize creativity and hard work in the marketing and communications industry.

A FINRA Investor Education Foundation study found that eight in ten consumers are solicited for potentially fraudulent offers. The NCPC–FINRA Foundation Investment Fraud Prevention Program equips law enforcement and their communities with tools to prevent and report financial fraud. The video series includes three public service announcements—”Cat Scam,” “Chess Pawn in an Investment Scheme,” and “No Bones About It,” —all encouraging consumers to ask and check, before they invest.

“Winning this award is an indication of the quality of the Investment Fraud Prevention Program and its co-branded materials,” says Ann Harkins, president and CEO of NCPC.  “The FINRA Foundation and NCPC offer materials free of charge that will help consumers identify common persuasion tactics, protection strategies, and where to turn for help.”

NCPC and the FINRA Foundation believe if consumers learn the tactics of the scammers, follow the tips for identifying a fraudulent offer, and understand how scammers select their targets, they can reduce their risk of becoming a victim.

The Hermes Creative Awards 2015 competition received nearly 6,000 entries from throughout the United States and 22 other countries. Judges are industry professionals who look for companies and individuals whose talent exceeds a high standard of excellence and whose work serves as a benchmark for the industry.

Visit the FINRA Foundation’s website, www.saveandinvest.org/FraudCenter/, for more tools and resources.

View the winning PSA Series on YouTube.

If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Michelle Boykins at (202) 261-4184 or email at mboykins@ncpc.org.

About Hermes Creative Awards
Hermes Creative Awards is an international competition for creative professionals involved in the concept, writing, and design of traditional materials and programs, and emerging technologies. Entries come from corporate marketing and communication departments, advertising agencies, PR firms, graphic design shops, production companies, web and digital creators, and freelancers.

About the National Crime Prevention Council
The National Crime Prevention Council is the nonprofit leader in crime prevention. For more than 30 years, our symbol of safety, McGruff the Crime Dog®, has delivered easy-to-use crime prevention tips that protect what matters most—you, your family, and your community. Since 1982, NCPC has continuously provided the American public with comprehensive educational materials, training programs, and effective crime prevention messaging, delivered in large part through its vast network of more than 4,600 state and local law enforcement agencies, crime prevention associations, community groups, foundations, and corporate partners.  For more information on how NCPC can be a public safety expert for you or how to “Take A Bite Out of Crime®,” visit www.ncpc.org.

SOURCE National Crime Prevention Council