Articles

Are you having trouble paying your car loan and thinking about doing business with a company that promises to get you a loan with lower monthly payments? Not all refinancing companies play by the rules. Learn how to recognize, avoid, and report auto loan refinancing scams.

Recognizing these common signs of a scam could help you avoid one.

Only scammers will tell you to buy a gift card, like a Google Play or Apple Card, and give them the numbers off the back of the card. No matter what they say, that’s a scam. No real business or government agency will ever tell you to buy a gift card to pay them. Always keep a copy of your gift card and store receipt. Use them to report gift card scams to the gift card company and ask for your money back.

Your caller ID might show a real government agency or company name or number. But scammers can fake caller ID. Don't trust it — even if it looks real.

What to do about illegal robocalls.

Do you owe back taxes and don’t know how you’re going to pay them? Tax relief companies say they can lower or get rid of your tax debts and stop back-tax collection. They say they’ll apply for IRS hardship programs on your behalf for an upfront fee. But in many cases, they leave you even further in debt. Your best bet is to try to work out a payment plan with the IRS for federal taxes or your state comptroller if you owe state taxes. 

Scammers advertise jobs the same way honest employers do — online (in ads, on job sites, and social media), in newspapers, and sometimes on TV and radio. They promise you a job, but what they want is your money and your personal information. Here are some examples of jobs scams and advice on how to avoid them.

“Buy now, pay later,” rent-to-own, lease-to-own, and layaway plans let you buy things without paying in full right away. Before you say yes to one of these plans, find out the details. Depending on the type of plan you choose, you could end up paying a lot more than you expected.

Using a biologic medication and concerned about cost? You may want to talk with your doctor about switching to a biosimilar. Like generic drugs, biosimilars may save you money and are as safe and effective as the original biologic.

There are steps you can take to secure your home security camera. Read on to learn more. 

Here's what you can do to keep your voice assistant and recordings private and secure. 

Online reviews might help you decide what to buy or what company to hire. You should be able to trust that these reviews reflect the honest opinions of people who actually used a product or service. Unfortunately, some reviews are fake, deceptive, or manipulated — and that hurts both people and honest companies.

Use two-factor authentication to protect your accounts from hackers.

How to report suspicious online reviews across some popular websites.

Reverse mortgages let you cash in on the equity in your home: these mortgages can have serious implications.

Signing over your disability settlement payments to raise cash fast can hurt your finances in the long run. You may end up without enough money to live on.