March 2026

Did you get a call or text saying you’re eligible for thousands of dollars in unclaimed property? Don’t get excited yet. It might be a scammer looking to steal your money or personal information. Here’s how to avoid that scam — and find out if a government agency has money, stocks, or another asset that belongs to you.

If you’re dealing with a lot of debt, you might be looking for help. Some companies offer a range of free and paid services, like budget counseling and debt management classes. But others are dishonest and will take your money for the promise of getting rid of your debt — just to leave you even worse off. So, how can you avoid scams while you’re trying to pay off your debt?

With global attention focused on the conflict in Iran, it’s no surprise scammers have already added that situation to their story lines. Some recent reports to the FTC about imposter, romance, and fake charity scams include an Iran twist. The details change, but the scammer’s goal is always to trick you into paying or sharing your personal information. Here are some examples of these scams — and how to protect yourself.

Many of us use or work with rental housing in some way. Maybe you have been — or are currently — a renter. Or maybe you own a rental property, operate a property management company, or otherwise work with or around rental housing. If any of that applies to you, the FTC wants to hear from you.

If you’re thinking about opening a franchise, you’re probably looking for things like name recognition, training, and support to help you grow your business. What you’re probably not looking for is for a franchisor to mislead you about the risks and costs of opening a franchise. That’s exactly what the FTC alleges Xponential Fitness, one of the world’s largest franchisors of boutique fitness studios, did to prospective franchisees.

In July 2024, the company behind NGL, an anonymous messaging app, agreed to pay $4.5 million to settle charges that the company deceived its customers. The FTC urges affected NGL customers to apply for a refund before April 6, 2026.

It’s that time of year when people start planning their spring and summer travels. If you have someone visiting you from another country (and they qualify for a visa waiver), they’ll need to complete an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) application through the official U.S. government website or app. To help them avoid a scam, be sure to let them know that they might come across ESTA lookalike sites trying to trick people into overpaying for the application. Here are some other things to share with visiting friends or family.

Excitement is reaching a fever pitch as the United States, Mexico, and Canada get ready to welcome thousands of fans for one of the most-watched sporting events on the planet — the FIFA World Cup! While die-hard fans are preparing to support their countrymen, scammers are looking to take advantage of the rush for tickets. Learn how to make your World Cup experience scam free.

If you get a call saying “you’ve won a prize,” you might be thinking, why not claim it? Unfortunately, it’s likely a scam to steal your money — especially if it’s for a contest you didn’t enter. So how can you spot and avoid a prize scam?

Scammers make up all kinds of bogus stories to steal your personal information, or your money. Some go negative and make up a problem that doesn’t really exist. Others try a positive spin and say you won something, like free money made available through a government grant or program. How do you know if these promises are legit—or a scam? Here are five common signs of a fake government grant scam:

It’s National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) 2026. Welcome! Today kicks off the 28th year of the FTC joining with partner organizations to amplify the importance of consumer protection. This week, the FTC is focused on delivering messages and hosting events on how to avoid scams, how to report scams, and what to do to help recover from scams. Visit ftc.gov/ncpw to find those in-person and virtual events, as well as free tools to promote NCPW. Here are some other ways to participate in NCPW 2026.