An official website of the United States government
Here’s how you know
The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.
The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.
Marriott International says that a breach of its Starwood guest reservation database exposed the personal information of up to 500 million people. If your information was exposed, there are steps you
No one thinks their online love interest is going to scam them, but scammers are good at what they do. They establish an emotional connection with you so you’re more likely to believe that they’re an
Scammers spend their days pretending to be someone they aren’t, like government agents or medical staff, to con us out of information and money. That’s why we join our friends at the Senior Medicare
A text message from an unknown number that simply says: hi, how are you? seems harmless. Your first instinct might be to respond to see if it’s someone you know. Or maybe tell them they made a mistake
With SNAP benefits, you use an EBT card to buy food at the store. But we’re hearing about scammers using illegal skimmers to steal card information, then grabbing your benefits for themselves. Here’s
Weather forecasters are predicting an active hurricane season, but if you live in large parts of the country — including those hit by tornadoes over Memorial Day Weekend — you’ve probably noticed more
Say you’re scrolling through your social media feed and you see a post saying, “I’m the winner of $600 million from the Powerball lottery. I’m giving away $50,000 to the first one thousand people to
Social media can connect us to friends and family across the country — but it can also connect us to scammers. Impersonators on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook are pretending to sell exotic animals to
Social media feeds are flooded with ads offering steep discounts on brand-name products, including luxury items. But are these offers real or a scam? When a low-priced “deal” pops into your socials
The phone rings. Your caller ID says it’s the Social Security Administration. You hesitate. You’re not expecting a call from them, and you’ve heard about impersonation scams. But something inside you
When you go through a toll, you know you’ll need to pay a fee to use that road or bridge. But scammers are targeting drivers with text messages pretending to be from the tolling agency collecting
Another day, another round of spam texts and emails trying to sell you things. At best, spam is annoying. At worst, it’s pushing scams or trying to install malware on your device. If you’re tired of
At some point, most of us will rely on financing to buy the things we need or want. But what happens when financing terms aren’t clear? Or you’re told to expect a monthly payment amount, but end up
This month, we join the nation to celebrate Older Americans Month. It’s also the 10th anniversary of Pass It On, the FTC’s fraud education campaign for older adults. As Older Americans Month
Just as people in Nebraska, Iowa, Oklahoma, and other Midwestern states are reeling from the catastrophic damage caused by tornadoes and other severe weather, scammers are rolling in. They use all
If you’re paying a medical, utility, or other bill online, you probably expect to wind up on the company’s website. What might you not expect? An impersonator tricking you into paying them instead
Before you spend money on that celebrity-endorsed premium cookware, weight loss product, or can’t-miss money-making opportunity, pause. Take a breath. Are you sure a celebrity or influencer is really
Are you having a hard time paying your mortgage? Even if you’ve missed payments or you’re already facing foreclosure, you still might have options. You really do, but that’s the same thing scammers
Being online is part of kids’ lives. When they’re online, kids watch and create content, post photos, videos, play games, and share what they’re doing with friends and family. But when they post, play
If you’re looking for a new job, getting paid to shop might sound like a dream. Companies hire mystery shoppers to try products or services and share experiences about things like buying or returning