June 2023

July is Military Consumer Month. Take a minute to consider the mottos of our military services: Always Faithful (Marine Corps), This We’ll Defend (Army), Aim High…Fly-Fight-Win (Air Force), Always Ready (Coast Guard), and Always Above (Space Force). They all convey a sense of pride and responsibility — and tell you a bit about the fighting spirit of the people in that branch. Honor and duty are drilled into servicemembers from the minute they start boot camp.

It’s illegal for a company to tell someone to pay to enter a sweepstakes contest, or that buying something increases their odds of winning. You might not be surprised if a fly-by-night contest promoter deceived people by saying these things. But would you expect a well-known company that’s been running sweepstakes for decades to deceive people?

screens before you get to check-out, you could wind up signed up for a service without even knowing it. What’s worse, it can be tough to cancel. Read on to learn how to protect yourself from unwanted services and charges.

You’ve probably heard about genetic testing services, where a company examines your DNA, often from a saliva sample and sends you a report about your family background or your likelihood for developing certain health conditions. It might sound great, but can you trust a company when it promises to keep your sensitive DNA data private?

We’re hearing about a new scheme that involves imposters preying on people who are grieving the loss of a loved one. The imposters pretend to be from the funeral home and say that, unless the family pays more money immediately, the funeral will be canceled. Can you imagine anything more despicable?

Have you ever bought something through an online marketplace where third parties sell their products? You’re not alone. Millions of people have. But have you ever wondered who the seller was? Or where they were located? Or how you’d contact them if you had a question about a product?

Scammers are always looking for people to lure into schemes, in any language. The latest twist: scammers placing social media ads in Spanish, inviting people to free “seminars” where they’ll learn how to profit from an online business or real estate investments. But will you make money? Or is the company that is speaking your language scamming you?

Congratulations — it’s time to graduate! Whether you or someone you know is off to college in the fall, already has a job lined up, or is still figuring out next steps, there’s a lot to do to prepare. The FTC’s Financial Adulting 101 webinars and materials offer advice to help protect you or your favorite recent graduate from scams. Keep reading to learn more.

If you get tons of scam text messages, you’re not alone. Lots of people have been reporting to the FTC that they’re getting texts from scammers impersonating people and organizations you know and trust — like your bank or companies like Amazon. An analysis of consumer reports reveals the top text scams from 2022. So, what are they? And how do you avoid them?

Some people with Medicare are getting unordered COVID tests in the mail — lots of tests — and Medicare is getting the bill. Others don’t get tests but find charges for tests on their Medicare statements. Frauds like this, along with mistakes and abuse, cost Medicare an estimated $60 billion each year and steal people’s time and energy.

Websites and online services that are directed to, or know they’re collecting information from, children under 13 are required by law to notify the parents directly and get their permission before they collect that child’s information. The FTC says Microsoft’s Xbox Live failed to do so.

Pride is all about celebrating who you are — proudly, without shame. This Pride, use your voice to talk to your friends and family about spotting and avoiding scams. So, how can you show your Pride and get the conversation started?