Learn about the latest scams, and get advice to help you avoid, report, and recover from them.
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Consumer Alert
These days, working from home is pretty common. It’s a win-win for both those hoping to avoid a commute, and companies looking for talent from all over the world. You might even get a call or message
Consumer Alert
Shutting down tech support scams
With technology, it’s easier than ever to connect with others and people are just a click or call away. Nobody knows that better than scammers — who might try to contact you about a supposed virus or
Consumer Alert
Scammers advertise jobs and business opportunities
We know that scammers advertise jobs and business opportunities because we’ve investigated and stopped many of them. Unfortunately, scammers are relentless and keep advertising online in ads, on job
Consumer Alert
Did you use Western Union to pay a scammer?
Refunds are still available to people who were tricked into wiring money to scammers through Western Union between January 1, 2004 and January 19, 2017. If you didn’t file a claim for a refund yet
Consumer Alert
Reject a job or money-making scam offer
Financial Literacy Month is a good time to talk about earning, managing, and saving your money. Are you searching for a new job, investment, or business opportunity to boost your financial well-being
Consumer Alert
Saint James School of Medicine: operating on lies
Choosing a medical school is a big decision, and lesser-known schools work hard to get your attention. Some set themselves apart by boasting about high first-time pass rates on standardized medical
Consumer Alert
Did you get a text from your own number? That’s a scam
Scammers are always thinking up ways to put a new spin on their criminal tricks. This time, they’re sending spam texts to you — from your own phone number. They’ve changed (spoofed) the caller ID to
Consumer Alert
How do you spot a scam? Listen to how someone tells you to pay
Like spring cleaning for your finances, Financial Literacy Month is a great time to dust off your knowledge for spotting and avoiding scams. The best way to make a clean getaway from a scam? Listen to
Consumer Alert
Donating with crypto? Watch out for scams.
You may have heard that the government of Ukraine is receiving donations by cryptocurrency. Unfortunately, scammers have heard this too and they’ve been posting on social media, as well as sending
Consumer Alert
FTC says credit repair operation fleeced its clients
The last thing people who turned to Alex Miller Credit Repair for help needed was to end up in worse financial shape than when they began. But, according to a lawsuit the Department of Justice filed
Consumer Alert
Scammers pretend to be the FTC again
Scammers are back at it, pretending to be FTC Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and staff at the FTC. They’re emailing, saying there’s an award ready to be collected (for a fee), or an outstanding
Consumer Alert
Share your experiences to help stop bogus money-making offers
Companies offering jobs, business opportunities, investments, or other money-making opportunities often talk about how much money you can make. But many people have lost time and money to companies
Consumer Alert
Investment trading operation will pay millions for empty promises
It sounds like a dream come true — the idea of making a lot of money quickly and easily by investing. But in the case of Raging Bull, promises that the company’s trading programs could earn people big
Consumer Alert
Spilling the tea on the latest COVID-19 cure claim
Wouldn’t it be nice if all you had to do to get rid of COVID-19 was drink some tea? Well, selling people easy, feel good products — without competent scientific evidence — is something scammers are
Consumer Alert
DeVry students, read this
If you went to DeVry, you might have already gotten money back from the FTC. That’s thanks to a 2016 FTC settlement with the school over allegations that it didn’t tell the truth about how likely it
Consumer Alert
Is a credit freeze or fraud alert right for you?
During Identity Theft Awareness Week 2022, we’ve talked about reducing your risk of identity theft. Credit freezes and fraud alerts can help. Both are free and make it harder for identity thieves to
Consumer Alert
How to tell if someone is using your identity
Taking steps to protect your personal information can help you minimize the risks of identity theft. But what if a thief gets your information anyway? Here are some of the ways thieves might use your
Consumer Alert
Identity theft can happen to anyone
It’s the second day of Identity Theft Awareness Week and today we’re talking about steps that can help reduce your risk of identity theft. Many of us access our online accounts — credit cards
Consumer Alert
Welcome to Identity Theft Awareness Week 2022
Today we’re kicking off Identity Theft Awareness Week 2022. Identity thieves have been busier than ever during the pandemic, with scammers and identity thieves after people’s information to apply for
Consumer Alert
Conned on social media? It’s not just you
In 2021, more than 95,000 people told the FTC that they’d been scammed with a con that started on social media. In fact, more than one in four people who reported to the FTC that they lost money to