Fraud Against Older Consumers: Online Evaluation of Educational Materials

Request for Approval under the “Generic Clearance for the Collection of
Routine Customer Feedback” (OMB Control Number: 3084-0159)
TITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION: Fraud Against Older Consumers:
Online Evaluation of Educational Materials
ATTACHMENT 1: Survey
FTC Senior Fraud Education
Campaign Evaluation Survey
November 21, 2013
METHODOLOGY: National online survey of 1000 senior adults, age 65 and above.
A.

[Introduction/Screening]

A1. What is your age? [CATEGORIZE RESPONDENT’S ANSWER]
1. 59 or younger
[TERMINATE]
2. 60 – 64
[TERMINATE]
3. 65 – 69
4. 70 – 75
5. 75 – 80
6. 80 or Older
A2. What is your gender?
1. Male
2. Female

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is undertaking an effort to inform Americans
about the dangers of frauds and scams. They would like your help in making this an
effective communications effort. Thank you for taking the time to complete the following
survey.
Please note that the information provided in this survey will not be used for any
marketing or sales purposes.
Be assured that all of your answers will be completely ANONYMOUS and
CONFIDENTIAL. Therefore, please try to answer these questions as openly and
honestly as possible.
To begin we would like to ask you a few preliminary questions:
A3. In your opinion, how important is it that people are made more aware of the dangers
of frauds and scams?
1. Not at all important
2. Somewhat important

3. Important
4. Very Important
5. Critical
A4. Have any of your friends or family members ever been victim of a fraud or scam?
1. Yes
2. No
3. Don’t know/not sure
A5. Have you personally been a victim of a fraud or scam?
1. Yes
2. No
3. Don’t know/prefer not to say
A6. How much do you agree or disagree with the following statement, “People 65 years
or older are often a target for frauds and scams.”
1. Completely disagree
2. Somewhat disagree
3. Neither agree nor disagree
4. Somewhat agree
5. Completely agree
A7. How much do you agree or disagree with the following statement, “People 65 years
or older can protect themselves against frauds and scams if they have the right
information.”
1. Completely disagree
2. Somewhat disagree
3. Neither agree nor disagree
4. Somewhat agree
5. Completely agree
A8. How much do you agree or disagree with the following statement, “Short and
simple communications are best for informing seniors about the topic of frauds and
scams.”
1. Completely disagree
2. Somewhat disagree
3. Neither agree nor disagree
4. Somewhat agree
5. Completely agree
A9. Do you believe the Federal Trade Commission is a reputable source of information
about the dangers of frauds and scams?
1. Yes
2. No
3. Don’t know/not sure

B.

Identity Theft Tri-fold

On the next page please take a look the following three-column brochure. [Questions in
this section refer to this: http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/pdf-0014-identitytheft.pdf]
B1. How informative did you find this brochure?
Not at all
Informative
1
2
3
4
5
6

Extremely
Informative
7

B2. How appealing is the visual design of this brochure?
Not at all
Extremely
Appealing
Appealing
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
B3. If you were to receive this in the mail from the Federal Trade Commission. How
likely would you be to read it?
Not at all
Extremely
Likely
Likely
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
B4. How likely are you to pass this along to a friend or family member?
Not at all
Extremely
Likely
Likely
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

B5. Please take another look at the document. This time, please highlight the sections
you found most useful or interesting by clicking the particular section with your
mouse. [SELECT MULTIPLE]
1. Section 1
2. Section 2
3. Section 3
4. Section 4
5. Section 5
6. Section 6
7. Section 7
8. Section 8
9. Section 9
10. Section 10
11. Section 11
12. Section 12
13. Section 13
14. Section 14

15. Section 15
16. Section 16
17. Section 17
18. Section 18
19. Section 19
20. Section 20
21. Section 21
22. None Selected
B6. This time please highlight the sections you found least useful or interesting by
clicking the particular section with your mouse. [SELECT MULTIPLE]
1. Section 1
2. Section 2
3. Section 3
4. Section 4
5. Section 5
6. Section 6
7. Section 7
8. Section 8
9. Section 9
10. Section 10
11. Section 11
12. Section 12
13. Section 13
14. Section 14
15. Section 15
16. Section 16
17. Section 17
18. Section 18
19. Section 19
20. Section 20
21. Section 21
22. None Selected
B7. Do you have any additional thoughts about this document?
1. Yes: _________________________________________________
2. No
C.

Identity Theft Brochure

On the next page, please look the two-page brochure… [Questions in this section refer to
Attachment 2]
C1. How informative did you find the brochure?
Not at all
Informative
1
2
3
4
5
6

Extremely
Informative
7

C2. How appealing is the visual design of this brochure?
Not at all
Extremely
Appealing
Appealing
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
C3. If you were to receive this in the mail from the Federal Trade Commission. How
likely would you be to read it?
Not at all
Extremely
Appealing
Appealing
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
C4. How likely are you to pass along this brochure to a friend or family member?
Not at all
Extremely
Likely
Likely
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
C5. If you were to receive this brochure in the mail from the Federal Trade Commission.
How likely would you be to read it?
Not at all
Extremely
Likely
Likely
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

C6. Please take another look at the brochure. This time, please highlight the section in
the brochure you found most useful or interesting by clicking the anywhere within
the section.
1. Section 1
2. Section 2
3. Section 3
4. Section 4
5. None Selected
C7. Now please highlight the section you found least useful or interesting by clicking
the particular section with your mouse.
1. Section 1
2. Section 2
3. Section 3
4. Section 4
5. None Selected
C8. Do you have any additional thoughts about this brochure?
1. Yes:
____________________________________________________________
2. No

D.

Imposter Scams Brochure

On the next page, please look the two-page brochure…[Questions in this section refer to
Attachment 3]
D1. How informative did you find the brochure?
Not at all
Informative
1
2
3
4
5
6

Extremely
Informative
7

D2. How appealing is the visual design of this brochure?
Not at all
Extremely
Appealing
Appealing
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
D3. If you were to receive this in the mail from the Federal Trade Commission. How
likely would you be to read it?
Not at all
Extremely
Appealing
Appealing
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
D4. How likely are you to pass along this brochure to a friend or family member?
Not at all
Extremely
Likely
Likely
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
D5. If you were to receive this brochure in the mail from the Federal Trade Commission.
How likely would you be to read it?
Not at all
Extremely
Likely
Likely
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

D6. Please take another look at the brochure. This time please highlight the section in
the brochure you found most useful or interesting by clicking the anywhere within
the section.
1. Section 1
2. Section 2
3. Section 3
4. Section 4
5. None Selected
D7. This time please highlight the section you found least useful or interesting by
clicking the particular section with your mouse.
1. Section 1

2.
3.
4.
5.

Section 2
Section 3
Section 4
None Selected

D8. Do you have any additional thoughts about this brochure?
1. Yes:
____________________________________________________________
2. No
E.

Bookmark Testing

On the next page, please look at the following set of bookmarks (with front and back
images). [Questions in this section refer to Attachment 4]
E1. Please select the bookmark you feel is the most useful or interesting.
1. Bookmark1
2. Bookmark2
3. Bookmark3
4. Bookmark4
5. Bookmark5
6. Bookmark6
7. Bookmark7
E2.

Please select the bookmark you feel is the least useful or interesting. [From testbmk.pdf]
1. Bookmark1
2. Bookmark2
3. Bookmark3
4. Bookmark4
5. Bookmark5
6. Bookmark6
7. Bookmark7

F.

Overall Material Evaluation

F1. Now that you have seen these materials, how important is it that people 65 or older
are made more aware of the dangers of certain frauds and scams?
1. Not at all important
2. Somewhat important
3. Important
4. Very Important
5. Critical
F2. Overall, how clear, useful and informative are the materials you have seen?
Not at all
Extremely

clear,
useful or
informative
1
2

3

4

5

6

clear,
useful and
informative
7

F3. How interested are you personally in receiving materials like these?
Not at all
Extremely
Interested
Interested
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
F4. Which format of the materials did you like the most?
1. The trifold brochure
2. The two-page brochure
3. The bookmark
F5. For what age are these materials best suited? (Select all that apply)
1. Someone my age
2. Someone older than me
3. Someone younger than me
4. None of the above
F6. Based on the materials you have seen, how has your opinion of the Federal Trade
Commission changed?
1. Much less favorable
2. Somewhat less favorable
3. Remained the same
4. Somewhat more favorable
5. Much more favorable
6. Don’t know/not sure
G.

Specific Elements Testing

G1. Please select the header that you find the most interesting and appealing. [This
question refers to Attachment 5]
1. Header 1
2. Header 2
3. Header 3
4. Header 4
5. Header 5
6. Header 6
7. Header 7
G2. Please select the logo that you find the most interesting and appealing. [This
question refers to Attachment 6]
1. Logo 1
2. Logo 2
3. Logo 3

4. Logo 4
5. Logo 5
6. Logo 6
7. Logo 7
8. Logo 8
9. Logo 9
10. Logo 10
G3. Please select the font type you find the easiest to read and appealing. [This question
refers to Attachment 7]
1. Font 1
2. Font 2
3. Font 3
4. Font 4
5. Font 5
G4. Please select the type style that you find the easiest to read and most appealing.
[This question refers to Attachment 8]
1. Typestyle 1
2. Typestyle 2
3. Typestyle 3
4. Typestyle 4

H.

[Demographics]

There are only a few more questions. Please remember that your answers will be
completely ANONYMOUS and CONFIDENTIAL.
H1. What is your employment status?
1. Retired
2. Full-time work
3. Part-time work
4. Homemaker
H2. What is your marital status?
1. Married
2. Single
3. Separated
4. Divorced
5. Widowed
H3. What was the last year of education that you completed?
1. Less than high school

2.
3.
4.
5.

High school graduate
Some college
College graduate
Post graduate education

H4. Into which of the following categories does your total annual household income
fall?
1. Less than $15,000
2. $15,000 to $25,000
3. $25,000 to $50,000
4. $50,000 to $75,000
5. $75,000 to $100,000
6. Don’t know/not sure/prefer not to say
H5. What is the approximate total value of your assets (including savings, investments,
and real estate)?
1. Less than $25,000
2. $25,000 to $50,000
3. $50,000 - $100,000
4. $100,000 - $200,000
5. $200,000 - $500,000
6. More than $500,000
7. Don’t know/Not sure/prefer not to say
H6. What is your Zip Code? _ _ _ _ _
H7. Which of the following best describes your living situation:
1. Alone
2. With a spouse
3. With a child (or my children)
4. With family members other than a spouse or a child
5. With a roommate who is not related to me
H8. Do you live in a senior residence or a senior community?
1. Yes
2. No
3. Don’t know/not sure
H9. How often to you attend educational programs targeted specifically to adults age 60
or over?
1. Never
2. Rarely
3. Sometimes
4. Regularly
5. Often

H10. Which of the following best describes your race or ethnicity? [ACCEPT
MULTIPLE]
1. Black or African-American
2. White or Caucasian
3. Hispanic or Latino/a
4. Asian/Pacific Islander
5. Native American
6. Other ______________________

Thank you for participating!

ATTACHMENT 2: Identity Theft Brochure

ATTACHMENT 3: Imposter Scams Brochure

ATTACHMENT 4: Bookmarks

ATTACHMENT 5: Headers

ATTACHMENT 6: Logos

ATTACHMENT 7: Fonts

ATTACHMENT 8: Type Styles