Washington, DC - “Thank you for being a friend” – to consumers, that is. We admit it. We’re prone to break out in song a little too enthusiastically, but the recipient of the FTC Criminal Liaison Unit’s Prosecuting Attorney’s Award merits a chorus of congratulations.

The Commission presents the award annually to recognize prosecutors who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to consumer protection in partnership with the FTC. This year’s honoree is the Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.

The Complex Frauds Unit prosecutes financial fraud and addresses the threat of cybercrime – and they’ve had a long-standing partnership with the FTC to help protect consumers. In just the past year, the Complex Frauds Unit successfully prosecuted dozens of individuals for their participation in mobile cramming, phantom and abusive debt collection, and deceptive payday lending schemes.

The FTC presented the award at a ceremony on October 19th in New York.

Looking for more information about the FTC’s Criminal Liaison Unit (CLU)?  Watch this video to get a clue about how CLU contributes to the prosecution of con artists who prey on American consumers. It describes the FTC’s close working relationship with federal and state prosecutors – and serves as a reminder that some consumer protection violations can ultimately lead to criminal charges.