October 2024

Marriott settled charges related to a data breach that exposed the information of millions of guests. The company will take steps to better protect customers’ personal information. And it will give customers more control over their information.

With the holiday season approaching, you might be looking for extra funds to cover things like gifts and trips. But if you’re planning to borrow the money, make sure a payday loan isn’t your first — or only — choice. Sure, you might get the money fast, but the added fees and interest could make the payback really slow — or nearly impossible.

Did someone tell you to buy a gift card to pay a fine or bill? Stop. It’s a scam. No real business or government agency will ever tell you to buy a gift card to pay them. Here’s how to spot and avoid gift card scams.

The federal government is once again offering free COVID test kits. When it opens in September, you can order up to four kits per household at COVIDTests.gov. All for free.

Have you seen offers to “unlock” the equity in your home by selling it and then renting it back from the buyer? The ads make these agreements — called sale-leasebacks — sound like a simple and risk-free way to get cash upfront and stay in your home. But the truth is these agreements are far from risk-free.

Nobody knows how long it’ll take to recover from the devastating flooding and destruction of Hurricane Helene. But we do know it won’t be long before scammers try to cash in on the storm. As you’re working to get back on your feet, learn how scammers operate — and how to avoid them.