Consumer Alerts

If you search online for “adoption agencies near me,” you might see a lot of ads for adoption intermediaries, which might give you the impression that these businesses are state licensed, full-service

Whether you’re kicking off the fall semester with a new internship or looking for an on-campus gig, there’s a scam you should know about.

Thinking about paying to join a multi-level marketer (MLM)? Have you been promised that you could make lots of extra money if you join? Think again. Most people who join MLMs make little or no money

Have you ever gotten a text or email warning you that something is wrong with an account online? Maybe it says your streaming account is about to be suspended unless you respond quickly. It might even

Most of us use ATMs pretty often to withdraw cash. But Bitcoin ATMs (or BTMs) are a different beast. Increasingly located in convenience or grocery stores, gas stations, and other places, they’re a

With more powerful and frequent natural disasters — even affecting areas where they weren’t typical — you might have something like “update or make my emergency plan” on your to do list. The FTC has

For college students and parents, paying tuition is often at the top of the to-do list each semester. Imagine getting a call from someone who supposedly works at your school, saying you haven’t paid

Looking for local caregiver gigs that pay well? Care.com said it could help, for a monthly subscription fee. But, in a settlement announced today, the FTC says Care.com misled workers about how many

If you’ve seen ads for home title lock insurance, they might have you worried. After all, the ads say thieves can steal the title to your home. But then the ads tell you to buy title lock insurance to

We’re living in the data age. The things we do on our phones and computers, on our internet-enabled smart devices, and on websites leave a trail of our activities and our personal information. That

If you have federal student loans, you probably got an email last month from Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. (The email address it showed was noreply@studentaid.gov.) It has important

Car dealerships offer buyers lots of add-ons — like service or maintenance contracts, or special car paint coatings — that add up quickly. So, when buyers decline optional add-ons, they don’t expect

It’s back-to-school season, which means parents and students are probably looking to save on college essentials online. And while the latest deals may save you some time and money, scammers may be

The signs of a good car-buying experience? Things like trust, transparency, and fairness at the dealership. The signs of a bad car-buying experience? Things like misleading ads, bogus fees, and

You get a text message with a job offer that pays hundreds of dollars a day for doing remote work. It might sound tempting, but here’s the catch: they ask you to text them your Social Security number

Getting an urgent call from what sounds like your utility company might make you think: Did I forget to pay my bill? The caller says there’s a way to avoid shutoff and fees: they’ll send you a barcode

When temperatures rise, utility costs do, too. While reputable companies can help you save money with clean or solar energy improvements, scammers offer more than they can deliver. The scams vary, but

Is there information on your credit report that’s correct, but not so good? Don’t believe ads that promise an easy fix. There are ways to fix mistakes on your credit report, but you can’t legally

You get a text message from a number you don’t know, asking when you’re free to catch up over a cup of coffee. Don’t perk up just yet. That invitation for a coffee date might sound like it’s from a

If a company selling car service contracts had tons of exceptions and exclusions to their coverage, would you want to know? Probably. But the FTC says CarShield left that part out.