Learn about the latest scams, and get advice to help you avoid, report, and recover from them.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 374
Consumer Alert
Widespread drought, rising prices, and feed shortages in the Great Plains and West have created a fertile field for cattle feed scammers to take advantage of ranchers working to protect their
Consumer Alert
FTC says Walmart allowed fraud involving money transfers
Scammers want payments that are quick, anonymous, and tough to reverse. In other words, scammers are asking for wire transfers. That’s why money transfer businesses like Walmart need to warn people
Consumer Alert
Protect your Medicare number, your other info, and your money
Last year, the FTC got almost a million reports about impersonation scammers — fake government agents, pretend grandkids, bogus sweethearts, and others who took almost $2.3 billion from people across
Consumer Alert
Spotting the FTC’s most reported crypto scams
If the cryptocurrency craze feels like a tempting way to make money, or you think you’re missing out, read on. Because, according to the FTC’s new data spotlight, scammers are banking on what you don
Consumer Alert
Scammers pretend to be U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Has the U.S. Border Patrol called you? No, they haven’t. But a scammer might have. In fact, scammers often pretend to be from government agencies to trick you into sending them money or sharing
Consumer Alert
Scammers are offering student loan (un)forgiveness
The U.S. Department of Education recently announced another extension of the student loan payment pause. This time the pause runs through August 31, 2022. That news puts student loans back in the
Consumer Alert
Applying for jobs? Be on the lookout for scams
You might have just graduated from college, but there’s still more to learn when you’re on the job hunt. Not every posting or job recruiter is legit. Learn how to spot the scams. We’ve been getting
Consumer Alert
Not enough baby formula means plenty of scammers
Scammers exploiting the high demand for baby formula have sunk to new lows. They’re popping up online and tricking desperate parents and caregivers into paying steep prices for formula that never
Consumer Alert
Want to work from home? Spot the scams first
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
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