Consumer Alerts

If you’re filing your taxes online this year, watch for signs of tax identity theft, like someone using your Social Security number (SSN) to file and claim a tax refund. One way you’ll know is if the

Today begins Identity Theft Awareness Week (IDTAW) 2025, and we hope you'll join us during some of the events planned for this week. IDTAW is an excellent opportunity to learn and talk about identity

An unexpected package from an unknown sender arrives in your name. You open it and find a note that says it’s a gift, but it doesn't say who sent it. The note also says to scan a QR code to find out

Are you interested in learning more about how to protect yourself from identity theft? Check out Identity Theft Awareness Week. During the week, the FTC and its partners will host free webinars and

If you’re thinking about upgrading your phone, here are four easy steps to remove your personal information from your phone before you trade it in.

As the holiday season approaches, it seems like there are more and more fake shopping sites. The ads on social media show expensive products like electric scooters, designer bags, and other popular

Hackers target your email and social media accounts to steal your personal information. Like your username and password, bank or credit card account numbers, or Social Security number. If they get it

We recently shared advice to help you safeguard the personal information in your accounts, on your computer, and on your phone to protect it from identity theft. But scammers aren’t just after your

We get it. You hoped the day would never come when you learned someone used your personal information to open new credit accounts in your name. But it did. So now what? Act fast. It can help reduce

There’s been a lot of hype and excitement about artificial intelligence and all the amazing things it can, or one day might, do. Some companies are developing and selling AI tools, while others are

Imagine carrying a written copy of all your conversations with you everywhere you went. Or copies of your account numbers, usernames, and passwords. Or all the photos and videos you’ve ever taken. I

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

Is there a legit reason for someone to send you to a Bitcoin ATM? The short answer is NO. Will someone from the government send you to a Bitcoin ATM? NEVER. If you’ve followed this Anatomy of a Scam

As we continue our deep dive into imposter scams, we’re taking a look at a new twist on tech support scams. Ever deal with a tech support scam? A warning pops up on your computer. It says your

One way to spot a scam is to understand its mechanics. A new and complicated scam starts with a call or text message about a suspicious charge on your Amazon account. But it’s not really Amazon. It’s

Scammers say and do things that can tell us they’re lying — and they’re not who they pretend to be. Of course, to hear or see those clues, we have to get past the panic scammers make us feel, thanks

We expect banks and brokers to keep our money safe. We think they’ll stop or warn us about suspicious transfers out of our accounts. But do they? Scammers are exploiting that trust and getting people

When you log into your bank or credit card account, you might get a text message or email with a verification code. You then enter it at the login screen to confirm it’s really you. That’s a form of

Software provider Avast sold products to people that were supposed to protect their privacy online. But in a recently settled lawsuit, the FTC says Avast’s business practices actually compromised

Identity Theft Awareness Week is a great time to learn how to spot, avoid, and report identity theft. Chances are, you know someone who has experienced identity theft. That’s when someone uses your