%1

Medicare losses due to fraud, errors, and abuse cost taxpayers about $60 billion every year. Providers might double bill Medicare for a single treatment, charge for things like a back brace you didn’t get (or need); a company might offer you a fake Medicare drug plan; or a scammer might ask you to confirm your Medicare number ­— which they then use to commit hospice fraud.

Hurricane season starts today. Are you prepared? Wherever you live, scammers follow whatever weather emergencies may strike. So as this hurricane season gets started, check over your family’s emergency plan and restock your supply kit. And then check out the FTC’s Dealing with Weather Emergencies article so you’re prepared to avoid scams in case a hurricane (and scammers) cross your path.

Scams often start with a text, call, or an ad or message on social media. So, if you have a phone or you’re on social media, chances are you’ve heard from a scammer recently.

If you’re deciding whether to have food or groceries delivered, you’re probably weighing price versus convenience. And to weigh those properly, it helps to know, well, the total price of delivery — including any fees you’ll have to pay, what they’re for, and when you’ll have to pay them. But reports to the FTC and recent FTC enforcement actions suggest that hidden or misleading fees and charges continue to be an issue for people using online food delivery platforms. That’s why the FTC is asking for public comments on whether a rule might be needed to help prevent unfair or deceptive fee practices in online food and grocery delivery.

If you run a small business, you know how important it is to pay your bills. Scammers know this too and send fake invoices to businesses for products or services they never ordered in the hopes they’ll pay up.

You might have heard from the news or your school that online learning platform Canvas’ parent company Instructure was hacked, potentially putting students’ personal information at risk.

Did someone share, or threaten to share, an intimate photo or video of you without your permission? Did this happen to your child? If that’s happened to you or someone you know, here’s information to help you decide what to do.