January 2023

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 on social media — all to try to steal your money and personal information. Whether you’re looking for your first job or seeking a new gig, here’s some advice to help you avoid job scams.

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 information. But during Identity Theft Awareness Week (January 30-February 3) we can all fight back against identity theft.

LASIK is corrective surgery to a very delicate part of the eye. Millions of people have had LASIK surgery to correct their vision, many with great success. Advertising is one way LASIK providers attract customers. But like any other purchase, it’s important to do some research. Prices vary, and what may seem like a deal may only be available to select “qualified” patients.

If you took up baking during the pandemic, you may have ordered Pyrex bakeware promoted as “American as apple pie.” It turns out, says the FTC, some Pyrex glassware advertised as “proudly made in the USA” was actually made elsewhere. Read on to find out why that’s a problem.

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 devastating start. Whether you’re getting back on your feet or looking for ways to help people in hard-hit areas, learn how scammers operate — and how to avoid them.

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 kinds of guarantees. That includes WealthPress, a company the FTC says violated the law by making false earnings claims to convince people to buy its financial trading services.

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 just one person (or community). Read on so you can spot and report these scammers before they trick someone you care about out of money.