What to do if you were scammed

If you’re in the checkout line with a gift card (or several) in your hand, ask yourself: is the gift card you’re buying for a gift? Or is someone on the phone with you as you’re checking out telling you what to do – like buy a gift card to pay for something and give them the numbers? Gift cards are ONLY for gifts. That means if the gift card isn’t for someone’s birthday, anniversary, or for any other gift giving reason, it’s a scam.

National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) 2024 is next week, and we hope you’ll attend some of the virtual and in-person events we have planned. NCPW is a time when the FTC, national and local organizations, and individuals from across the country get together to bring you information and advice on scams, identity theft, and other consumer protection issues.

People hate filing taxes, but they love getting something for free. So, when H&R Block advertises that people can use its online tax product for free, people listen. The problem, according to the FTC? It often isn’t free.