June 2024

Some student loan debt relief companies will lie and say they’re affiliated with the Department of Education when they’re not. They want their bogus claims of “guaranteed” loan forgiveness (for a fee) to seem more legitimate (they’re not).

Do you wear glasses or know someone who does? Read on to learn about important updates to your rights under the Eyeglass Rule.

When you want to know what’s happening in housing, you go to the experts. That’s why the FTC joined renters, renters’ advocates, and researchers in Atlanta to hear about issues affecting renters. They told us that the rise of institutional investors and corporate landlords since the financial crisis has contributed to rising rents, hidden junk fees, issues with online portals, and predatory lease-to-own schemes. Here are some takeaways from housing advocates and renters.

Wondering if you need an international license to drive in a country you’re visiting? Every country has its own rules for visitors who want to drive. In some, like Canada, your U.S. driver’s license is all you need. Other countries require you to get an International Driver’s Permit (IDP). Scammers try to confuse you with fake IDPs and websites that not only take your money and give you nothing but can also cause you trouble abroad.

Did someone supposedly spot fraud or criminal activity on one of your accounts? Did they offer to help “protect” your money by moving it from your bank, investment, or retirement account? Maybe they even asked you to share a verification code? If anyone did any of those things, it’s always a scam. So, what do you do next?

July is Military Consumer Month, so we’re deploying advice you can use. No matter what stage of military life you’re going through, you could encounter an imposter scam: someone pretending to be your bank’s fraud department, the government, a relative in distress, a well-known business, or a technical support expert. Want to protect yourself and the people you care about? Let the FTC help.

If you meet someone on social media or a dating website or app, how can you tell if their profile is real? They say they’re in the military — but scammers especially like to pose as military servicemembers stationed overseas. What’s the best way to spot a fake?

With so many people on social media, it’s no surprise that scammers are there, too. A scammer might, for example, send you a message on Facebook, LinkedIn, or WhatsApp offering a chance to invest in cryptocurrency. But there’s no investment opportunity — just a scammer trying to take your money.

Here’s a new scam spotted on social media: appointment setting jobs. They claim you can work from home and make big money. But just what does an appointment setter do? And how can you tell the difference between a legit job offer and a scam?

Scammers pretending to be from the government tell convincing stories to steal your money or personal information. But now they’re taking a new, layered approach — and here are some clues to spot it.

If your new online friend or romantic interest says they have an emergency and need money, it might not mean they have bad luck. It’s more likely they’re a scammer trying to grab your money. So, how can you tell if an online “friend” is a fraud?

No one thinks their online love interest is going to scam them, but scammers are good at what they do. They establish an emotional connection with you so you’re more likely to believe that they’re an expert in cryptocurrency investing, for example. But that online love interest is a scammer. People have lost tens of thousands ― sometimes millions — of dollars to romance scammers.

People are getting letters in the mail from a law firm saying that one of their clients has died and they’re looking for the heir. You are, they say, that heir! (Spoiler alert: you’re not.) The letter goes on to explain their offer: they want to split the proceeds between you, some charities, and their law firm. But what’s really going on?

Scammers spend their days pretending to be someone they aren’t, like government agents or medical staff, to con us out of information and money. That’s why we join our friends at the Senior Medicare Patrol in raising awareness about Medicare imposters during Medicare Fraud Prevention Week. If you or someone you know has Medicare, here’s advice to help protect your time, money, and information from Medicare imposters.