Consumer Alerts

Natural disasters and weather emergencies are in the news. Whether it’s the devastating wildfires along the West Coast, the relentless rains and flooding along the East Coast, or tornado strikes in

Dealing with the aftermath of a wildfire, flood, tornado, or other disaster is never easy, but taking stock and developing a recovery plan can give you a sense of hope and purpose. Here are a few tips

Did your favorite celebrity reach out to you on social media? Before you get too excited, are you sure it’s that person? Really sure? We’ve heard reports that scammers, who will try just about

With the summer travel season in high gear, the FTC is warning drivers about skimming scams at the pump. Skimmers are illegal card readers attached to payment terminals. These card readers grab data

Shopping for a car can be exciting. But wading through ads and promotions from car dealers, and deciding how to pay, can make it stressful. If you decide to finance the car, you have two options : get

Would you donate to a charity called Help the Vets? What about if you get a robocall that asks you to donate your car to “Veterans of America?” Unfortunately, just because the word “veterans” is in

The FTC’s Used Car Rule says that dealers have to display a Buyers Guide in every used car they have for sale, and give it to buyers after the sale. The FTC recently checked out how dealers are

Do you have student loans? Did you respond to an ad from Ameritech Financial claiming to offer you debt relief? The FTC has sued Ameritech for deceptive practices and just sent letters about the case

When a company says you can try its product for free, you might think, why not? Here’s why not: You could end up paying a lot of money for that free trial. Scammers often use free trial offers with

Have you ever gotten a call about a debt that isn’t yours? That’s known as a phantom debt, and today, the FTC and the New York Attorney General’s Office announced that they are suing two players in an

July is Military Consumer Month. This year, we’re focusing on fighting imposter scams – where a con artist pretends to be someone you trust, to convince you to send money or personal information. The

Recently, someone showed up at the door of the FTC to ask about his prize. He had a mailing saying he’d won $5 million – and the FTC had “certified and verified” it. The letter told him to act

While lava from the Kilauea volcano eruption continues to flow, it’s not too early to begin taking stock and developing a recovery plan. Here are a few tips and links to resources to help make the

Natural disasters and weather emergencies are in the news. Whether it’s the volcanic eruptions in Hawaii and Guatemala or the wildfires in Colorado, it’s heartbreaking to see people lose their homes

The FTC protects consumers by stopping unfair, deceptive or fraudulent practices in the marketplace. We conduct investigations, sue outfits and individuals that break the law, and inform people and

Planning a summer vacation? You may be looking for deals on cheap flights or discounts at hotels and resorts – but some promotions may come with strings attached, and others can be downright scams

Instead of min(d)ing their own business, are scammers using your computer as their virtual ATM? Three years ago, the FTC warned the public and took action against cryptojacking. That’s where scammers

Looking for stronger ways to protect your credit? Thanks to a new federal law, soon you can get free credit freezes and year-long fraud alerts. Here’s what to look forward to when the law takes effect

A common phrase in the world of charities is that there are many ways to give. Making an online donation is one way, and using an “online giving portal” is becoming a popular option. Check out our new

(View or share the YouTube version of this video.) Has someone asked you to go get a gift card to pay for something? Lots of people have told us they’ve been asked to pay with gift cards – by a caller