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Scammers follow the headlines — and the seasons. As the new year rolls around, we’re sure to hear lots of “new year, new you” advertising around health and fitness products. But some of those promotions are just scams out to get your money. Here’s how to spot them.

If you got a gift this holiday season that wasn't quite right, you may be looking to return it. Here’s some advice to help make the process go more smoothly.

If you’ll be seeing college-age relatives over the holidays, warn them about a variation on the “job interview” scam that students looking for summer or permanent employment have reported to us.

Have you gotten a call about a prize for a contest you never entered? It might be a scam. We’ve been hearing about scammers calling to say you’ve won a boatload of money from Publishers Clearing House (PCH) through a multi-state lottery. They tell you to call a number and press 1 to learn more. If you don’t, you supposedly won’t get the money. What would you do?

Does it ever feel like you’re getting more robocalls than calls from actual humans? Illegal robocalls aren’t just annoying — they’re also often scams. But you might be wondering — how did they get my number in the first place?

What’s one way to keep your money safe from scammers during the holidays? If you’re in the check-out line buying gift cards, make sure they’re for gifts. Only gifts. Not because someone tells you to buy gift cards and give them the numbers off the back of the card. Only scammers say that.

If you’re thinking about buying a timeshare or joining a vacation club, make sure you know exactly what you’re getting into.

Experience tells us that scammers will follow the record-setting winds, rainfall, and storm surge that have left thousands of East Coast residents, from Florida to Maine, under water or without power. As the waters recede, scammers will try to take advantage of people doing their best to recover, trying to steal money and personal information. So how do you protect yourself and those around you?

A blueprint to wealth? Not so fast. The FTC says a business opportunity scheme known as "Blueprint to Wealth" has been targeting people who want to make money working from home and using false promises of a proven system generating thousands a month in "passive income" from newly recruited members. Here's a blueprint for how to avoid business opportunity schemes.

A personalized holiday gift used to mean a shirt with a monogram. But the popularity of at-home DNA test kits suggests that personalized presents have gotten a lot more personal. If genetic test kits are on your shopping list for family or friends – or if you’re buying one for yourself – the FTC has three things to think about first.