Public Debt Unveils New Nationwide Toll-Free Access To TreasuryDirect® Customer Service

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 30, 2000

Treasury's Bureau of the Public Debt announced today new nationwide toll-free telephone service for TreasuryDirect. Beginning, Friday, December 1, TreasuryDirect customers can conduct transactions, get information or talk with customer service representatives by dialing 1-800-722-2678.

“We wanted to make it even easier for our TreasuryDirect customers to get information, get help with their accounts, or use our electronic services,” said Van Zeck, Commissioner of the Public Debt. “Making TreasuryDirect as close as a toll-free call complements the services we offer over the Internet and lets us deliver the quality and convenience our customers deserve.”

The number is also a gateway to the popular TreasuryDirect Electronic Services, where customers can access Reinvest Direct® and Buy Direct® as well as account information. Representatives will be available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time. Callers who request a representative will be connected to one of three new customer contact centers which are located at the Boston, Minneapolis, and Dallas Federal Reserve Banks.

Reinvest Direct is a service that allows TreasuryDirect customers to schedule reinvestment of their maturing securities using a touch-tone telephone or over the Internet.Buy Direct allows customers to purchase securities the same way.

The new contact centers and toll-free telephone number cap Public Debt's two-year effort to streamline and improve service to the 700,000 customers who hold $84 billion in bills, notes and bonds in TreasuryDirect accounts. The three contact centers consolidate customer service functions previously performed at 36 Federal Reserve offices around the country.TreasuryDirect customers are being advised of these improvements by mail.

More information about TreasuryDirect and how to purchase Treasury bills, notes and bonds is available at www.treasurydirect.gov.

TreasuryDirect®, Reinvest Direct® and Buy Direct® are registered trademarks of the Bureau of the Public Debt.