Recognize an FTC Impersonator

People in the military are known for looking out for one another. That’s why scammers set up camp outside military banks pretending to need help — just to get through the holidays. But take a tactical pause. This might be a scammer looking to use your phone to drain your bank accounts. Learn to spot and avoid this scam.

All year round, scammers pose as government agencies like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to try to steal your money. Scammers sometimes make unexpected calls pretending to be FTC employees like Chief Privacy Officer John Krebs — but it’s not actually him. Here’s how the scam works so you can spot and avoid it.

You never know where your big Hollywood break will come from. But it probably won’t start with an unexpected text message about a virtual casting call. That’s likely a scam. Learn the cues to avoid this type of phishing scam.