Consumer Alerts

You’ve probably heard: this holiday season, it might be harder to find the gifts you’re looking for. So, many of us might be looking for alternatives, like buying gifts locally — or maybe from online

Shopping online is oh-so-convenient. Haven’t we all bought stuff online when we could easily run to the store (figuratively, of course) and be back home in less than 30 minutes? Because reputable

Family caregivers are the biggest source of support for older adults and people with disabilities in the U.S. If you’re one of the busy people who prepares meals, drives to medical appointments, helps

Many people have gotten their advance Child Tax Credit payments this year, but scammers are taking advantage of this new program to try to trick you out of money or information. They’re pretending to

If you’ve been keeping up with the news, you might have heard about a global chip shortage. Why does that matter to your holiday shopping? Well, a lot of things you might buy for the holidays, like

The 2022 health insurance open enrollment season is here (November 1 - December 15). So now is the time to think about changes to your health coverage. But before you do, make sure any plan you’re

Many of us would like to believe a marketer’s claims that an over-the-counter nasal spray can prevent or treat COVID-19. Luckily, the law sets a high standard of proof before a marketer can say its

There’s a fake IRS email that keeps popping into people’s inboxes. It says that you can get a third Economic Impact Payment (EIP) if you click a link that lets you “access the form for your additional

Every day dedicated community advocates work to improve the lives and protect the rights of people across the country. The FTC is proud of our work with the legal services community and we are excited

Has Amazon contacted you to confirm a recent purchase you didn’t make or to tell you that your account has been hacked? According to the FTC’s new Data Spotlight, since July 2020, about one in three

As today’s annual report to Congress makes clear, the safety of older consumers in the marketplace is a priority for the FTC. Protecting Older Consumers 2020 – 2021: A Report of the Federal Trade

Every year, charity regulators from around the word get together to raise awareness about charity fraud. The FTC joins this effort again this year because it’s so important to know how to spot a

The newly-released Serving Communities of Color Report summarizes the past five years of the FTC’s efforts to address, understand, and educate people about consumer issues that have a

During Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period (OEP), which begins on October 15 and ends December 7, Medicare beneficiaries can choose the plans that are best for them for 2022. You can get help comparing

If you’re like many people, before you lay your money down — particularly for big-ticket items — you want to hear what past buyers say about them. The FTC took a big step today to make sure that what

Have you seen ads on social media that offer to “help” you sign up for a government program that will give you a “free” device and internet service in exchange for money or personal information? While

For-profit colleges sometimes use overblown — or flat-out false — promises to attract new students and their money. The FTC is ramping up its efforts to stop shady practices on campus. The Commission

If you’re a high schooler applying to college, a college student, or their parent, it’s time to fill out the 2022-23 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA ®) form. Unfortunately, scammers

A popular saying in Spanish is “camarón que se duerme se lo lleva la corriente.” It means “a sleeping shrimp will get swept away by the current.” Which turns out to be a great metaphor for avoiding

Last week, we kicked off the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month with ideas about recognizing and avoiding scams. This week, it’s about what to do if you think you’ve paid a scammer. These steps