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Consumer Alert

How to spot fake FTC websites and FTC impersonators

BCP Staff
Last year, the Federal Trade Commission got more than 1 million reports about imposter scams, with reported losses of $3.5 billion. Many people report scammers pretending to be the FTC, including fake FTC websites. Learn more about how to spot an FTC imposter website and what the FTC is doing to take them down.
Consumer Alert

A Veterans Day reminder on how to spot scams on social media

BCP Staff
For veterans, social media might be one of the easiest ways to keep in touch with friends from past duty stations and loved ones back home. But what’s shared on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok can also make it easier for scammers to connect with you. Here’s a Veterans Day reminder of how scams may show up on social media to help you and your fellow veterans spot and avoid these scams.
Consumer Alert

Help veteran-owned small businesses avoid scams during National Veterans Small Business Week

BCP Staff
National Veterans Small Business Week (NVSBW) starts in just a few days. A great way to honor veteran small business owners is to help them spot and avoid scams. And if you’re a business owner (veteran or not), your best defense against scammers is an informed workforce. Here’s how you and your team can take part in NVSBW 2026 and learn more.
Consumer Alert

New report on the FTC’s work to protect older adults

BCP Staff
Protecting older adults is a top priority for the FTC, and a new report to Congress outlines how the agency has taken this on. From law enforcement to consumer education to coordination with partners, the FTC’s taken a multi-faceted approach to combatting fraud and other issues affecting older adults over the past year. Check out the report for updates on new scam trends, FTC cases that impacted older adults, and consumer education resources like Pass It On. What are some highlights?
Consumer Alert

Tell the FTC about imposter ads online

BCP Staff
Scammers impersonate well-known businesses or government agencies in ads in your social media feed, your search results, and on your favorite shopping platforms. They hope you’ll think they’re the real thing and click on their imposter ad. The FTC is exploring additional ways to help protect consumers from these ads and we want to hear from you.
Consumer Alert

Seeing lots of ads for health insurance plans during open enrollment? Read this

BCP Staff
During open enrollment for the Health Insurance Marketplace (Nov. 1 – Jan. 15), you might feel like you’re seeing ads for health insurance plans everywhere you look and getting similar pitches over the phone. These ads and pitches can sometimes be misleading: they might promise things like comprehensive health insurance but actually offer limited benefits. Or be for medical discount cards and not health insurance at all. Other ads might look like they’re from the government or well-known insurance companies — but they’re really from impersonators trying to gain your trust.
Consumer Alert

Spot scammers impersonating well-known charities and sweepstakes

BCP Staff
Scammers impersonate all kinds of organizations, including reputable charities. And these impersonators sometimes make you believe that you won a charity-sponsored sweepstakes because you’ve donated to that charity. So, if you get a call about a sweepstakes contest you’ve supposedly won from someone who says they’re with a charity you support, how can you tell if the prize is real or a scam? 
Consumer Alert

The FTC is not calling to deactivate your phone number

BCP Staff
Here’s the latest twist on FTC impersonators: someone claiming to be an FTC official (who’s really a scammer) calls to say a phone was registered under your name and number and is being used to commit scams in another country. The “FTC official” even reads off their badge ID (it’s a fake badge). If you don’t cooperate, they threaten to deactivate your phone number. Sounds scary? That’s (unfortunately) the point.
Consumer Alert

Some franchising basics from the FTC’s case against Premier Martial Arts franchisor

BCP Staff
If you’re thinking of buying a franchise, you’re probably considering lots of factors — weighing benefits like training and brand name recognition with potential risks and costs. Like any other business, a franchise has no guarantee of success. That’s why franchisors are required to give potential buyers honest information about what it takes to open and operate their franchise.
Consumer Alert

What to know ahead of Open Enrollment to avoid health insurance scams

BCP Staff
Health insurance scams happen year-round, but they pick up during Open Enrollment for Medicare and the Marketplace. If you’re looking to find a new plan, you might search online. But before you click on a search result, remember: scammers and dishonest businesses sometimes pay to appear at the top.
Consumer Alert

See a QR code parked somewhere? Don’t scan it…yet!

BCP Staff
Ever tried to pay for parking and discovered you need to scan a QR code to pay? It seems like a convenient way to pay, but it turns out scammers like using QR codes, too. People have reported scammers covering up legit QR codes on parking meters with a QR code of their own. If you scan that scammy QR code, it could take you to a fake site designed to steal your money, your personal information, or both. So, how can you protect yourself from these scams?
Consumer Alert

Scammers are spoofing car dealership websites: What you need to know

BCP Staff
While the car-buying process can be stressful, whether you’re shopping online or in person, the thought of driving off the dealer’s lot with that sweet ride you’ve had your eyes on can be exhilarating. But imagine showing up at the dealership and finding out the dealer has no record of your order or your payment. And that there’s no shiny car waiting for you! That’s what’s happening to unwitting car buyers who’ve been duped by scammers impersonating a car dealership.
Consumer Alert

How to spot a postcard scam targeting veterans

BCP Staff
Veterans across the country have reported getting postcards in the mail saying they (or their spouse) might qualify for extra monthly veterans benefits. But the “Veterans Savings Program” mentioned in the mailer doesn’t actually exist. It’s just a scammer phishing for personal or financial information. Here’s how this scam works so you can avoid it.
Consumer Alert

That unexpected package you got could be a brushing scam

BCP Staff
Did you get a package you didn’t order? It could be a brushing scam where a scammer uses your name to leave a fake review for that package you didn’t order. It could also be a sign that someone has (or is looking to steal) your personal information.
Consumer Alert

Struggling with tax debt? Here’s what to know

BCP Staff
If you owe back taxes, there are ways to get real help. But dishonest companies will promise to get rid of your debt for “pennies on the dollar,” before even looking into your tax situation. They’ll often charge service fees without actually doing anything for you, and leave you further in the hole with local, state, or federal tax authorities.
Consumer Alert

Are ads on social media vetted or checked for scams? Here’s what to know

BCP Staff
You’re browsing your social media feed when an ad grabs your attention mid-swipe: that designer bag you’ve been dreaming of is 50% off for a limited time only! You’re dying to get your hands on one, so you don’t think twice about clicking on the ad. Why would you? The ad is right there in your feed and it looks real, so you trust that it’s legit. But it might not be. That’s because social media platforms don’t always thoroughly vet the ads you see or the advertisers behind them.
Consumer Alert

Veterans: Don’t pay to apply for VA benefits

BCP Staff
Scammers know that applying for veterans benefits is at the top of the to-do list when you’re getting ready to leave the military. That’s why they pretend to be with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and offer to help you apply for benefits if you pay them — even though it’s free to apply with the VA. So if you’re applying for veterans benefits, get the help you need while avoiding scams. Here’s how.
Consumer Alert

A way to spot scams: how someone asks you to pay

BCP Staff
Let’s say someone contacts you unexpectedly and says you have to pay to fix a problem, get a prize, or something else. But then they say the only way to pay is by bank transfer, wire transfer, cryptocurrency, payment app, or gift card. Well, reports to the FTC show that’s a scam.
Consumer Alert

Veterans: Here’s help to protect your small business

BCP Staff
As a veteran, you’ve worked hard to protect our country. And if you’re a veteran-run small business, you know how important it is to have protections against scammers and cybercriminals. Your best defense is an informed workforce, so here are some free resources to help you start the conversation with your team.
Consumer Alert

How to spot fake rental listings during a military move

BCP Staff
Whether you’ve been planning a move for months or you’re dealing with last-minute orders, military moves can be both exciting and stressful. The last thing you need is a rental scam to raise that stress level, so here’s how to spot them.
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