Consumer Alerts

Got an email or text message about a tax refund? It’s a scam

Free means free, right? If you’re TurboTax, not always, according to a new ruling from the Federal Trade Commission. And not for everybody, or even most people— even if an ad says “100% free.”

Many impersonation schemes start with a call about a routine problem, like suspicious activity in your Amazon account. But in a new twist, the story quickly takes a more serious turn when you’re told

Scammers speak your language. Whether you speak a language from Arabic to Vietnamese, or the language of college students or veterans to older adults — scammers know it fluently. With National

The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) gives parents control over what information websites can collect from their kids and how they use and share that information. The FTC now proposes

The Department of Justice and the Navy will never ask you to pay to file a disability claim. Want to know who will? Scammers. Keep scammers away from your personal information — and your money — while

With all eyes on the severe weather moving around the country, scammers are paying attention, too. And they’re likely following the path of the storms to target the people affected. So, how do you

As your social media and mailboxes fill up with new year’s greetings, you might see some unfamiliar names. Are the messages from long-lost friends or romance scammers trying to get close? Here are

The car shopping process can be challenging — and expensive. Deceptive and unfair practices can make the shopping process even more confusing and costly. That’s why the FTC recently passed the CARS

Donating is a great way to help people affected by natural disasters like the earthquake that hit Japan on New Years Day. But you know scammers try to take advantage of people recovering, and those

Does it ever feel like you’re getting more robocalls than calls from actual humans? Illegal robocalls aren’t just annoying — they’re also often scams. But you might be wondering — how did they get my

Scammers follow the headlines — and the seasons. As the new year rolls around, we’re sure to hear lots of “new year, new you” advertising around health and fitness products. But some of those

If you got a gift this holiday season that wasn't quite right, you may be looking to return it. Here’s some advice to help make the process go more smoothly.

If you’ll be seeing college-age relatives over the holidays, warn them about a variation on the “job interview” scam that students looking for summer or permanent employment have reported to us.

Have you gotten a call about a prize for a contest you never entered? It might be a scam. We’ve been hearing about scammers calling to say you’ve won a boatload of money from Publishers Clearing House

What’s one way to keep your money safe from scammers during the holidays? If you’re in the check-out line buying gift cards, make sure they’re for gifts. Only gifts. Not because someone tells you to

Experience tells us that scammers will follow the record-setting winds, rainfall, and storm surge that have left thousands of East Coast residents, from Florida to Maine, under water or without power

A personalized holiday gift used to mean a shirt with a monogram. But the popularity of at-home DNA test kits suggests that personalized presents have gotten a lot more personal. If genetic test kits

A blueprint to wealth? Not so fast. The FTC says a business opportunity scheme known as "Blueprint to Wealth" has been targeting people who want to make money working from home and using false

Ever think about clicking on ads for big markdowns or close-out sales in your feed? Social media seems to know what’s on your shopping list, whether it’s the season’s hot toys, electronics, or other