Tag: All Scams

QR codes seem to be everywhere. You may have scanned one to see the menu at a restaurant or pay for public parking. And you may have used one on your phone to get into a concert or sporting event, or to board a flight. There are countless other ways to use them, which explains their popularity. Unfortunately, scammers hide harmful links in QR codes to steal personal information. Here’s what to know.

Talking about scams is one of the best ways to protect yourself, your loved ones, and your community against scammers. You don’t have to be an expert, especially with tools to help get the conversation started.

Recently, the White House announced some initiatives the Administration is undertaking to improve the lives of the military and veteran communities. The FTC participates in several of these efforts, including the VSAFE task force that’s working to help veterans and their families avoid scams and other deceptive practices.

Giving Tuesday is a terrific time to support your favorite cause or charity. Here’s how to avoid charity scams and make your donations count.

Voice cloning technologies can generate a near-perfect voice clone based on a short audio clip or snippet of someone’s voice. The technology has potential to help people—for example, people who've lost their ability to speak, offering them a powerful and valuable means of communication. But, in the wrong hands, voice cloning technologies can do harm.

You may have heard us say when you’re shopping online, check things out before checkout. The same advice applies to giveaways on social media sites like Facebook and Instagram. Here’s why: One in four people who reported losing money to fraud since 2021 said it started on social media. Scammers make it hard to tell what’s real and what’s fake. Want to avoid scams on your feed? Slow your scroll and keep reading to find out how.

Found a job listing to telework as a Spanish translator or a data entry clerk with great benefits and pay? Scammers are impersonating real employers on legitimate platforms like ZipRecruiter and Indeed. When you respond, they might even schedule interviews and send you paperwork that looks legit. But it’s all a scam to get your information and steal your money or your identity. Here’s how to know you’re dealing with a scam.

Scammers speak your language. That's why the FTC now takes reports in multiple languages. To report in Mandarin, Tagalog, Vietnamese, French, Arabic, Korean, Russian, Portuguese, Polish, and many other languages, call the FTC at (877) 382-4357. Press 3 to speak to an interpreter. To report identity theft, call (877) 438-4338 and choose the option for your preferred language. Lines are open between 9am-5pm Eastern.

As we approach Veterans Day, we thank our veterans for their service and sacrifice. But not everyone has a vet’s best interests in mind. Whether you left the service decades ago or you’re planning your transition to civilian life, scammers will try to get you to send money or share personal information. Scammers also want to get their hands on the valuable benefits you earned through military service. What are some ways to know you’re dealing with a scammer?

Scammers are using the names of FTC employees, including the FTC’s Inspector General, to trick people into sending money or giving up their personal information. Here’s what you need to know.