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Money Matters: Learn How to Spot, Avoid, and Report Scams

April is Financial Literacy Month, and a great time to take advantage of free advice at ftc.gov/Money Matters. Federal Trade Commission data show people reported losing $8.8 billion to scams in 2022, up more than 30 percent from 2021. Money Matters has the tools we can all use to spot, avoid, and report scams, and help those we care about protect their bottom line. Read on to learn more.

The financial impact of the pandemic is far-reaching. Many of us are still feeling it in many ways: in finding work, buying or renting a home, getting loans, and simply making ends meet. And, just as we’re working to regain our financial footing, scammers are trying to take advantage by stealing both money and personal information. The information at Money Matters is here when and where you need it, on your phone or computer, and includes articles, videos, graphics to share on social media, and PowerPoint presentations on these topics:

 

Share this video using the links in the player above or use the YouTube version.

Please share what you learn with family, friends, and members of your community. Share the graphics and videos on social media. Even use the presentation slides to talk with groups you might be part of — say, at a neighborhood PTA or club meeting. And stay connected by subscribing to get consumer alerts on the latest scams.

It is your choice whether to submit a comment. If you do, you must create a user name, or we will not post your comment. The Federal Trade Commission Act authorizes this information collection for purposes of managing online comments. Comments and user names are part of the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) public records system, and user names also are part of the FTC’s computer user records system. We may routinely use these records as described in the FTC’s Privacy Act system notices. For more information on how the FTC handles information that we collect, please read our privacy policy.

The purpose of this blog and its comments section is to inform readers about Federal Trade Commission activity, and share information to help them avoid, report, and recover from fraud, scams, and bad business practices. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. We review all comments before they are posted, and we won’t post comments that don’t comply with our commenting policy. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect.

  • We won’t post off-topic comments, repeated identical comments, or comments that include sales pitches or promotions.
  • We won’t post comments that include vulgar messages, personal attacks by name, or offensive terms that target specific people or groups.
  • We won’t post threats, defamatory statements, or suggestions or encouragement of illegal activity.
  • We won’t post comments that include personal information, like Social Security numbers, account numbers, home addresses, and email addresses. To file a detailed report about a scam, go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

We don't edit comments to remove objectionable content, so please ensure that your comment contains none of the above. The comments posted on this blog become part of the public domain. To protect your privacy and the privacy of other people, please do not include personal information. Opinions in comments that appear in this blog belong to the individuals who expressed them. They do not belong to or represent views of the Federal Trade Commission.

Ignacio
April 24, 2023

OK

Susanne
April 11, 2023

My bank statements have been stolen out of my mailbox, and I’ve been broken into several times by construction workers who are trying to intimidate me and are working to take my assets. I am a senior citizen. Phones have been hacked, and I am afraid for my life. I am looking for help. I live in the Nashville, TN area. Hard to get help, law enforcement ridicules me.