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Identity Theft and Online Security
Consumer Alert
Five ways to keep scammers and hackers away
We’re living in the data age. The things we do on our phones and computers, on our internet-enabled smart devices, and on websites leave a trail of our activities and our personal information. That personal information has value — not just to us, but to scammers and hackers who want to steal our identities. Here are five things you can do to keep scammers and hackers at bay.
Education and Training
Consumer Alert
How to get legit information about your federal student loans
If you have federal student loans, you probably got an email last month from Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. (The email address it showed was noreply@studentaid.gov.) It has important information about your options for loan forgiveness. While that email is legit, scammers spread fake information about your student loans to try to get money or information from you.
Consumer Alert
Car dealerships can’t charge you for add-ons you don’t want
Car dealerships offer buyers lots of add-ons — like service or maintenance contracts, or special car paint coatings — that add up quickly. So, when buyers decline optional add-ons, they don’t expect to end up paying for those extra things. But that's exactly what the FTC says happened to many buyers when three dealerships in Texas owned by Asbury Automotive used (illegal) ways to sneak in add-ons.
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