Consumer Alerts

If you’re looking for a new place to live — or about to renew your lease — a landlord may run a tenant background check to decide whether to rent to you or not. The tenant background check process can

When it comes to small business loans, time is money. That was especially true early in the pandemic: when many small businesses were struggling to stay open, and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)

Delays in processing loans needed by small businesses in an emergency — like the pandemic — can leave them struggling to stay open. And deceiving consumers about these delays violates the law. The FTC

Did you pay Benefytt, which also did business as “MyBenefitsKeeper,” for a health plan or product that didn’t deliver the comprehensive insurance coverage the company promised? You might be getting

With all the security threats out there, you might be tempted to click on a pop-up or ad for a “free” scan to keep your computer safe. Especially if you see a Windows logo. The problem? They’re

When you’re planning a trip — whether it’s a last-minute spring break vacation or another trip — you might be tempted to jump on an offer for a great deal. Unfortunately, scammers sometimes hide

The pleas pulled at heartstrings — donate now to help women struggling with breast cancer pay their rent or their utilities — and generous people responded. In truth, barely a penny of every dollar

Are you looking for ways to pay off credit card debt? Offers to help you cut down or wipe out your debt might sound like a perfect solution, but dishonest debt relief companies will take your money

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

People are losing big money to scammers running complicated scams. The scams usually involve someone supposedly spotting fraud or criminal activity on one of your accounts, offering to help “protect”

Recovering from what is now the largest wildfire in Texas history will be a long process. If you’ve been displaced by the fire, or your home or business was damaged, you’re probably trying to figure

That call or text might not seem like a scam. It might look like it’s Apple or Microsoft, saying there’s a problem with your computer. (It’s not.) It might seem like it’s Amazon, saying there’s a

If you’re in the checkout line with a gift card (or several) in your hand, ask yourself: is the gift card you’re buying for a gift? Or is someone on the phone with you as you’re checking out telling

National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) 2024 is next week, and we hope you’ll attend some of the virtual and in-person events we have planned. NCPW is a time when the FTC, national and local

People hate filing taxes, but they love getting something for free. So, when H&R Block advertises that people can use its online tax product for free, people listen. The problem, according to the FTC