No, that’s not an FTC commissioner on the phone

Scammers like to pretend to be someone official to try to get your money. And who could be more official than the FTC chairman and commissioners, some of the nation’s leading fraud fighters? But here’s something important to know: nobody who works at the FTC will ever, EVER tell you to move your money to protect it. We won’t insist that you cash out your 401(k) or savings account and give that money to someone else.

But every week, the FTC gets reports from panicked people who wound up on the phone with “someone from the FTC” who told them just that. And then told them to keep it a secret. All with the goal of stealing as much money as they possibly could.

So spread the word: FTC staff won’t ever tell you to move or give someone your money, for any reason. Not Chairman Andrew Ferguson. Not Commissioner Melissa Holyoak. Not Commissioner Mark Meador.

Watch this video, the first in a series from all the commissioners, so they can tell you for themselves — and then please share it. You definitely know someone who can benefit from this message.

How to Spot Imposters Scams

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

Oh, and if anybody EVER tells you not to do some research, or says to keep the call a secret, that’s ALWAYS a scam.