In our on-going efforts to help dealers avoid the pitfalls associated with this critical issue, DEALER magazine once again will be hosting a tele-seminar covering this critical, sometimes dangerous issue. Please sign-up asap to reserve a space.

Also, sound quality will be improved as our experts will not be communicating by hotel room speaker phone this time.

Do you have questions about the most important
issue facing your dealership today?

Most likely you have heard all about the Safeguards Rule, the May 23, 2003 deadline, the $11,000 per day fine, and everything else about the Safeguards Rule. Well, you need to take a deep breath for a moment and ask yourself the following question, "If the FTC visits my store tomorrow to confirm I have a plan which has been documented and implemented for protecting my customers' private information, am I confident my organization would pass the inspection?"

How did you answer? A "Yes" answer means you can step back and take solace in the fact you are well on the way to avoiding FTC fines, legal fees, and negative PR. A "No" answer indicates you are at risk because the FTC is currently visiting dealerships to inquire about privacy policies and the implementation of related safeguards. Just to put the FTC's power into perspective, at the time of this writing (September 22) a single point store that is found to be noncompliant is looking at a fine of $1,375,000!

Featuring experts from Crowe Chizek, the nation's leading authority on this issue. Learn what you need to know and learn what you need to do to protect yourself and your customers. Have questions? Get answers.

You can attend this informative seminar on this critically important issue from the convenience of your own dealership. If you can dial a telephone, you can attend this session!

Bring your GM, CFO, Controller and Sales Managers into your conference room and put the session on your speaker phone for only $99, including a FREE CD of the seminar mailed to you after the event.

You will hear what you need to do and how you need to do it. Then ask any questions you wish and get the answers you need.

Sign up NOW by calling
952-646-9278
or click here to order online

Perhaps you do not see how complying with the rule does anything other than distract you from selling vehicles, labor hours and ultimately, generating profit. It is tough to disagree. Most dealers felt the same way when they first learned of the significant changes they would have to implement to achieve even the most basic levels of compliance; then began to consider the larger picture. Actually, at a high level, it's really not about "complying with the rule," it's about mitigating the risks which threaten your business. Does it make good business sense to protect private customer information? Yes, because in addition to the FTC fines, there are many additional larger negative ramifications which will result if a case of identity theft occurs at your store.

Consider the following:

* Within the auto industry, the Federal Trade Commission and the Social Security Administration received about 1,700 complaints last year of car loans or leases taken in the owners' name without their knowledge. In one case, nine men stole identities and acted as loan brokers, working closely with a dealership employee who wrote up the paperwork. They successfully originated millions of dollars' worth of loans before they were caught.

* A single point Nissan store has incurred costs of $500,000 over a one-year period for 52 cases of stolen good credit. The dealership currently has several customer lawsuits pending in addition to a tarnished public reputation.

In other words, it will be expensive, one-way or another.

FTC Safeguards Rul Tele-seminar

WHO:
DEALER magazine and experts from Crowe Chizek, the leading authority on this important issue.

WHAT:
A 75 minute FTC Safeguards Rule Tele-seminar you can attend by phone, 45 minute session from Crowe Chizek, 30+ minute session of Q&A.

WHEN:
Wednesday, February 18, 2004
12:00 pm Eastern time
11:00 am Central time
10:00 am Mountain time
09:00 am Pacific time

WHERE:
On any phone, in your office or in your conference room on the speaker phone with as many listening in as you wish.

WHY:
To protect your business and your customers by learning what you need to know and what you need to do to conform to these regulations.

HOW:
After registering via phone or the Web, you will be given an access code to join the session. Then just dial the number, give the code and you're in!

HOW MUCH:
Only $99 for as many folks as you wish to gather around the speaker phone, including a CD of entire session, mailed to you after the event.

ORDER NOW...
SPACE IS LIMITED!

You'll never regret attending this session...
but you may be sorry if you don't.

Call 952-646-9278
or click here to order online

In addition to the Safeguards Rule, the Commission has brought a number of cases to enforce the promises in privacy statements. By now you know the Privacy Rule (in effect November 2000, full compliance effective July 2001), which governs the "collection and disclosure of customers non-public personal information." Under this, companies must post a clear, conspicuous, and accurate statement of their privacy practices. The notice must include verbiage detailing the information the company collects about its consumers and customers, with whom it shares the information, and how it protects or safeguards the information. So, if you have wording in your privacy statement, and almost everyone does, informing consumers how you are safeguarding their information but do not have these safeguards in writing or in practice, then you are going to have a problem if the FTC visits your store. The FTC has built and is building cases against dealerships whose privacy statements include the safeguarding verbiage but don't have the documentation and practices in place.

This may sound ominous, but you need to know the FTC is checking dealerships. You should be taking a hard look at the things you are doing to ensure your dealership is compliant with the FTC guidelines and more importantly, at the things you are doing to eliminate the chances of identity theft occurring at your store(s). Attending this tele-seminar, or having someone from your dealership(s) attend, is the first step.

ORDER NOW...
SPACE IS LIMITED!

You'll never regret attending this session...
but you may be sorry if you don't

Call 952-646-9278
or click here to order online