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The Federal Trade Commission is reminding customers of Borders Group that they have until October 15, 2011, to decide whether to opt out of having their personal contact information and purchasing history shared with Barnes and Noble.

The agency notes that as part of Borders’ sale of assets in a bankruptcy proceeding, Barnes and Noble is acquiring customer information from Borders, including email addresses and purchase histories. Consumers can opt out of having Borders share that information, but they must do it before the October 15 deadline.

An email from Barnes and Noble with a subject line that reads “Important Information Regarding Your Borders Account” explains how you may opt out of having your information transferred to Barnes and Noble. Information on how to opt out also is available at borders.com, and barnesandnoble.com.

The FTC, the nation’s consumer protection agency, is not recommending any particular action. Whether consumers choose to opt out or not is up to them.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s Web site provides free information on a variety of consumer topics. Like the FTC on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.