Crooks use clever schemes to defraud
millions of people every year. They
often combine sophisticated
technology with age-old tricks to get
people to send money or give out
personal information. They add new
twists to old schemes and pressure
people to make important decisions on
the spot. One thing that never
changes: they follow the headlines
— and the money.
Stay a step ahead with the latest
info and practical tips from the
nation’s consumer protection
agency. Below is the latest FTC scam
alerts by date
The FTC
honors the contributions and
legacy of Black Americans
across U.S. history. One of the
top consumer issues we’ve heard
from people living in majority
Black communities is related to
credit
Recent
layoffs in industries like the
tech sector have scammers
fine-tuning their approaches to
take advantage. They may
advertise jobs online,
sometimes setting up fake
websites, or look for targets
As
unique as we each are, we all
look the same to identity
thieves: like good targets. To
them, it’s all about our Social
Security numbers, birth dates,
account login credentials, and
other personal
From
the relentless series of
powerful storms that have
battered California to the
dozens of tornadoes that swept
across six states, including
Alabama, Georgia, and Kentucky,
2023 is off to a
Search
online for “trading” or
“investments” and you’ll be
bombarded with offers, often
from self-proclaimed experts,
guaranteeing you’ll make big
money fast. But no one can
truthfully make those
What do
the model of your first car,
your favorite hobby, and the
high school you attended have
in common? If you said they’re
questions commonly used for
online account security and
online quizzes
Here’s
a scam we know is hitting the
Korean community right now —
but it’s just as likely to be
coming soon to a phone or email
inbox near you. Because one
thing we know is that scammers
never target
With
the reopening of the federal
government program to order
no-cost COVID-19 tests, there
are more options to get free
tests this year. But how do you
know what’s legit and what’s a
scam? Read on.
Sam
Levine, Director, Bureau of
Consumer Protection
As 2022
winds down, many of us are
still feeling the financial
effects of the pandemic: from
finding work to buying or
renting a home; from getting
loans to simply making ends
meet. And as we work to
Colleen Tressler, FTC,
Division of Consumer and
Business Education
We’ve
all been there. During the
holidays you order something
online and anxiously await its
arrival. But then your package
doesn’t come when the seller
said it would. And worse, you
hear nothing
You may
get a call, a text message, or
a flyer in the mail. Or maybe
you'll see an online ad
promising free or low-cost
vacations. Scammers and
dishonest companies are often
behind these offers. You
If
you’re looking for a job as a
babysitter, nanny, or other
kind of caregiver, you might
have searched online or used a
website that matches you up
with potential employers.
Scammers also use these
Looking
for a New Year’s resolution?
Here’s one for you: Keep your
hard-earned money safe from
scammers by spotting and
avoiding gift card scams. Then
help others spot and avoid
them, too. Scammers
Credit
card debt can be stressful.
Interest rates can be high, and
if you miss or can’t make your
full payments, that growing
balance can be overwhelming.
Enter a group of companies that
promised to
IRS
impersonators have been around
for a while. But as more people
get to know their tricks,
they’re switching it up. So
instead of contacting you about
a tax debt and making threats
to get you to pay
In the
FTC’s latest case targeting
fake COVID-19 claims, the
agency took action against
Margrett Priest Lewis and the
company she founded and
manages, Precision Patient
Outcomes, Inc. (PPO). Lewis and
Unwanted calls are annoying —
but when a caller says they’re
an FBI agent collecting on a
legal judgment entered against
you, it’s also scary. No matter
how urgent and serious the call
sounds, neither
As we
continue to honor and celebrate
veterans, scammers increase
efforts around holidays — like
Veteran’s Day — to try to take
advantage. Right now, a banking
scam is tricking veterans (and
current
Shopping for a car? With new
car prices averaging more than
$48,000, you may be thinking
about buying used. But in the
wake of disasters like
Hurricane Ian, tread lightly:
after a hurricane or flood
Want to
help charities that support
servicemembers and veterans?
Around Veterans Day, charity
scammers seek to take advantage
of your generosity. They
contact you about fake veteran
and military
If you
or one of your loved ones are
on Medicare, you’re probably
aware that open enrollment ends
on December 7. And you’re
probably reviewing and
comparing different options to
select a plan that’s
The FTC
joins the country in honoring
veteran entrepreneurs and their
families this National Veterans
Small Business Week. We offer
thanks as you continue to serve
communities all over the nation
Scammers are at it again,
impersonating well-known
businesses and trying to rip
people off. This time they’re
pretending to be from Geek
Squad, Best Buy’s tech support
service. Here’s what we’re
Scammers don’t hibernate in
the winter. Just like you,
they’re watching the weather
reports and preparing for
storms — and they’re counting
on catching you unawares. As
you get ready for winter
Did
Spectrum or another provider
call with an offer to lower
your monthly TV, cable, or
internet bill in exchange for a
pre-payment or fee? It wasn’t
them. It was a scammer, and
you’re not alone. This
NOTE:
As of November 11, 2022, the
student loan debt relief
program is blocked. Visit
StudentAid.gov for the most
updated information. The
Department of Education (ED)’s
application for federal
After a
natural disaster, the road to
recovery — financial and
otherwise — can be long and
bumpy. As you begin picking up
the pieces in the aftermath of
Hurricane Ian, here are some
things to think
Between
inflation and soaring energy
prices, many of us are thinking
about how much more it’s going
to cost to stay warm this year.
Getting an email, a call, or a
knock on your door with an
offer to
When
temperatures drop, it often
costs more to stay comfortable
in your home — and scammers
know that. This alert is the
first in a series to help you
get your home ready for winter,
save money, and
Nobody
knows how long it’ll take to
recover from the destruction
Hurricane Ian left behind. But
we do know it won’t be long
before scammers start trying to
cash in on the deadly storm.
Whether you’re
With
the recent announcement of the
one-time federal student loan
debt relief plan, we knew
scammers were on their way.
Well, they’re here. The
application for debt relief is
rolling out any day now
We know
that scammers target Latinos
with calls and ads in English
and Spanish because the FTC has
sued to stop them. When the FTC
hears about the Latino
community’s experiences and
collects their
As
recovery efforts continue in
areas hit hard by mother
nature’s recent bi-coastal
punch, scammers are not far
behind. They see tragedy as
opportunity, and they'll use
the devastation caused by
People
are telling us they’ve gotten
emails warning that their
sensitive personal information
is being sold in the shadowy
marketplaces of the dark web.
Some emails list the stolen
information, like
Scammers use email or text
messages to trick you into
giving them your personal and
financial information. But
there are several ways to
protect yourself. How To
Recognize Phishing How To
Protect
Scammers promise to make
changes to your mortgage loan
or take other steps to save
your home, but they don’t
deliver. Never pay a company
upfront for promises to help
you get relief on paying your
If you
have student loans, you
probably already know about the
US Department of Education’s
(ED’s) borrower defense loan
forgiveness program. But did
you know about a lawsuit and
proposed settlement
Tomorrow begins Hispanic
Heritage Month — a time to
honor all that Latinos and
their culture bring to this
country. At the FTC, we
celebrate Hispanic Heritage
Month by providing tools and
information
Tech
support scammers want you to
believe you have a serious
problem with your computer,
like a virus. They want you to
pay for tech support services
you don't need, to fix a
problem that doesn’t
You’ve
probably already heard about
the new government plan that
will forgive some federal
student loans, once it’s up and
running. Also in the news: the
federal student loan payment
pause has been
Could
you really be a model or actor?
Or maybe it’s your kids who
have the right look? You might
be flattered — and interested —
if a talent scout says you’ve
got a future in the business.
But you
Scammers have been targeting
Medicare recipients with a fake
offer to get “free COVID
tests.” They’re calling and
running websites, online and
television ads to try to
convince people to give their
Millions of people use online
dating apps or social
networking sites to meet
someone. But instead of finding
romance, many find a scammer
trying to trick them into
sending money. Read about the
Someone
might ask you to pay for
something by putting money on a
gift card, like a Google Play
or iTunes card, and then giving
them the numbers on the back of
the card. If they ask you to do
this
With
the cost of groceries, housing,
and many other things rising,
you might be looking for ways
to cut costs. You aren’t alone.
Across the country, people are
worried about high prices
impacting
It’s
never a good time to have your
utilities shut off. But during
the hot summer months, the
threat of having no power can
be especially miserable: no AC,
no refrigerator, not even a
fan. Scammers
The FTC
has been getting reports of
people getting letters in the
mail from a law firm. They are,
they say, looking for the heir
of a multi-million-dollar
inheritance. And they think it
might be you.
Sorry
to burst your bubble. That
unexpected text from the Postal
Service (USPS), Costco, or The
Home Depot telling you about an
unclaimed package or a survey
you can complete to claim a
freebie is NOT
Offers
of free money from government
grants are scams. Someone might
offer you a grant to pay for
education, home repairs, home
business expenses, or unpaid
bills. But they’re all scams.
Here’s how to
Scammers have been calling,
pretending to be people from
the FTC. While the names they
use might be real, they’re
actually scammers — some of
them hoping to trick you into
thinking they’re an FTC
Immediately following
weather-related disasters —
like the devastating fires in
California and the deadly
flooding in Kentucky and
surrounding states — scammers
come out of the woodwork. As
usual
Fake
checks might look like business
or personal checks, cashier’s
checks, money orders, or a
check delivered electronically.
Here’s what to know about fake
check scams. Types of Fake
Checks Scams Why
Selling
stuff online can be a great way
to make some extra cash.
Craigslist, Facebook
Marketplace, and other sites
attract a lot of buyers — and
scammers. Here are some ways
scammers try to cheat you
Find
out what to do if you paid
someone you think is a scammer,
or if you gave a scammer your
personal information or access
to your computer or phone. If
You Paid a Scammer If You Gave
a Scammer Your
If you
have a cell phone, you probably
use it dozens of times a day to
text people you know. But have
you ever gotten a text message
from an unknown sender? It
could be a scammer trying to
steal your
Getting
paid to shop sounds like a
dream job — especially if
you’re looking for a side job
or going to school full-time.
Don’t let your dream job turn
into a nightmare. Find out how
to avoid mystery
Do you
have federal student loans?
Have you worked in public
service (for a government
agency, the military, or a
non-profit organization)? If
so, find out whether you’re
eligible for the Public
Recognizing these common signs
of a scam could help you avoid
one. Four Signs That It’s a
Scam How To Avoid a Scam Report
Scams to the FTC Four Signs
That It’s a Scam 1. Scammers
PRETEND to be from an
It
would be nice if you could lose
weight simply by taking a pill,
wearing a patch, or rubbing in
a cream, but claims that you
can lose weight without
changing your habits just
aren’t true. And some
July is
Disability Pride Month — a time
to celebrate the proud
identities, contributions, and
culture of 40.8 million people
with disabilities in the U.S.
It’s when we recognize how the
Americans with
American servicemembers
sacrifice so much to honorably
defend the nation. But
dishonorable scammers make it
their mission to con
servicemembers out of their
hard-earned money and benefits
by
Adding
a room, renovating a basement,
or doing some much-needed
repairs around your home can be
a big undertaking. Finding a
trustworthy contractor is an
important first step. Scammers
will promise to
Widespread drought, rising
prices, and feed shortages in
the Great Plains and West have
created a fertile field for
cattle feed scammers to take
advantage of ranchers working
to protect their
Scammers want payments that
are quick, anonymous, and tough
to reverse. In other words,
scammers are asking for wire
transfers. That’s why money
transfer businesses like
Walmart need to warn people
Scammers are using the names
of well-known employers to post
job openings that don’t exist.
The purpose? Tricking you into
sending them personal
information or money upfront to
get the job. The phony
Last
year, the FTC got almost a
million reports about
impersonation scammers — fake
government agents, pretend
grandkids, bogus sweethearts,
and others who took almost $2.3
billion from people across
If the
cryptocurrency craze feels like
a tempting way to make money,
or you think you’re missing
out, read on. Because,
according to the FTC’s new data
spotlight, scammers are banking
on what you don
Has the
U.S. Border Patrol called you?
No, they haven’t. But a scammer
might have. In fact, scammers
often pretend to be from
government agencies to trick
you into sending them money or
sharing
The
U.S. Department of Education
recently announced another
extension of the student loan
payment pause. That news puts
student loans back in the
headlines, along with
discussion of some possible
Confused about
cryptocurrencies, like bitcoin
or Ether (associated with
Ethereum)? You’re not alone.
Before you use or invest in
cryptocurrency, know what makes
it different from cash and
other
Scammers exploiting the high
demand for baby formula have
sunk to new lows. They’re
popping up online and tricking
desperate parents and
caregivers into paying steep
prices for formula that never
You
might have just graduated from
college, but there’s still more
to learn when you’re on the job
hunt. Not every posting or job
recruiter is legit. Learn how
to spot the scams. We’ve been
getting
Mobile
payment apps can be a
convenient way to send and
receive money with your
smartphone. These apps have
become very popular — and
scammers may try to use them to
steal your money. Find out how
These
days, working from home is
pretty common. It’s a win-win
for both those hoping to avoid
a commute, and companies
looking for talent from all
over the world. You might even
get a call or message
With
technology, it’s easier than
ever to connect with others and
people are just a click or call
away. Nobody knows that better
than scammers — who might try
to contact you about a supposed
virus or
We know
that scammers advertise jobs
and business opportunities
because we’ve investigated and
stopped many of them.
Unfortunately, scammers are
relentless and keep advertising
online in ads, on job
Refunds
are still available to people
who were tricked into wiring
money to scammers through
Western Union between January
1, 2004 and January 19, 2017.
If you didn’t file a claim for
a refund yet
Financial Literacy Month is a
good time to talk about
earning, managing, and saving
your money. Are you searching
for a new job, investment, or
business opportunity to boost
your financial well-being
Choosing a medical school is a
big decision, and lesser-known
schools work hard to get your
attention. Some set themselves
apart by boasting about high
first-time pass rates on
standardized medical
Scammers are always thinking
up ways to put a new spin on
their criminal tricks. This
time, they’re sending spam
texts to you — from your own
phone number. They’ve changed
(spoofed) the caller ID to
Like
spring cleaning for your
finances, Financial Literacy
Month is a great time to dust
off your knowledge for spotting
and avoiding scams. The best
way to make a clean getaway
from a scam? Listen to
You may
have heard that the government
of Ukraine is receiving
donations by cryptocurrency.
Unfortunately, scammers have
heard this too and they’ve been
posting on social media, as
well as sending
The
last thing people who turned to
Alex Miller Credit Repair for
help needed was to end up in
worse financial shape than when
they began. But, according to a
lawsuit the Department of
Justice filed
Scammers are back at it,
pretending to be FTC
Commissioner Rebecca Kelly
Slaughter and staff at the FTC.
They’re emailing, saying
there’s an award ready to be
collected (for a fee), or an
outstanding
It
sounds like a dream come true —
the idea of making a lot of
money quickly and easily by
investing. But in the case of
Raging Bull, promises that the
company’s trading programs
could earn people big
Wouldn’t it be nice if all you
had to do to get rid of
COVID-19 was drink some tea?
Well, selling people easy, feel
good products — without
competent scientific evidence —
is something scammers are
If you
went to DeVry, you might have
already gotten money back from
the FTC. That’s thanks to a
2016 FTC settlement with the
school over allegations that it
didn’t tell the truth about how
likely it
Companies offering jobs,
business opportunities,
investments, or other
money-making opportunities
often talk about how much money
you can make. But many people
have lost time and money to
companies
During
Identity Theft Awareness Week
2022, we’ve talked about
reducing your risk of identity
theft. Credit freezes and fraud
alerts can help. Both are free
and make it harder for identity
thieves to
Taking
steps to protect your personal
information can help you
minimize the risks of identity
theft. But what if a thief gets
your information anyway? Here
are some of the ways thieves
might use your
It’s
the second day of Identity
Theft Awareness Week and today
we’re talking about steps that
can help reduce your risk of
identity theft. Many of us
access our online accounts —
credit cards
Today
we’re kicking off Identity
Theft Awareness Week 2022.
Identity thieves have been
busier than ever during the
pandemic, with scammers and
identity thieves after people’s
information to apply for
In
2021, more than 95,000 people
told the FTC that they’d been
scammed with a con that started
on social media. In fact, more
than one in four people who
reported to the FTC that they
lost money to
As part
of the FTC’s ongoing efforts to
protect you from shady sellers
during the pandemic, the agency
sent cease and desist demands
to 25 companies that claimed
their products can prevent or
treat
If
you’ve been looking for a
COVID-19 test, you probably
know that they are in short
supply. Unfortunately, scammers
love to “help” with shortages.
They’ve created fake and
unauthorized at-home
People
spend billions of dollars a
year on products and treatments
in the hope of improving their
health and fitness. But a lot
of that money goes to companies
that make fake claims about
those
The
news is filled with images of
long lines at in-person COVID
testing sites and reports of
limited supplies of at-home
test kits. It’s not a surprise
that, according to the U.S.
Food and Drug
As 2021
winds down, lots of us are
making resolutions for a fresh
start in the New Year — maybe
to exercise regularly, get our
finances in order, or spend
more time with friends. But
your list isn’t
Some
scammy debt relief companies
will say just about anything to
get your money. They promise to
get you a lower credit card
interest rate, claiming to be
able to save you thousands of
dollars but