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Consumer Alert

Publishers Clearing House deceived consumers about their sweepstakes contests, FTC says

Alvaro Puig
It’s illegal for a company to tell someone to pay to enter a sweepstakes contest, or that buying something increases their odds of winning. You might not be surprised if a fly-by-night contest promoter deceived people by saying these things. But would you expect a well-known company that’s been running sweepstakes for decades to deceive people?
Article

Fake and Abusive Debt Collectors

Have you ever gotten a call about a debt you don’t recognize? Or had a collector harass, threaten, or lie to you?

Consumer Alert

Medicaid: Spotting the scams

Carol Kando-Pineda
During the pandemic, states had to keep people enrolled in Medicaid so they didn’t lose their insurance. Now that the health emergency declaration is over, that requirement has been phased out — which means people eligible for Medicaid have to re-enroll in their state’s program or find new insurance, if they’re not eligible. So, where do the scams come in?
Consumer Alert

Preparing for hurricane season 2023: How to organize your finances

Gema de las Heras
When it comes to preparing for hurricanes, financial readiness is as important as a flashlight with fully charged batteries. Leaving your home can be stressful, but knowing that your personal and financial documents are up to date, in one place, and portable can make a big difference at a tense time. Read on to learn how to identify and organize important papers before a disaster strikes.
Consumer Alert

Scammers are hijacking job ads. Here’s how to spot the fakes

Gema de las Heras
Scammers are taking outdated ads from real employers, changing them, and posting them on employment websites and career-oriented platforms like Indeed or LinkedIn. The modified ads seem to be real job offers with legitimate companies. They’re not. In fact, their goal is to trick you into sharing personal information. So how do you know if you’re dealing with a scammer?
Consumer Alert

Investment scam targeting WeChat groups

Tiffany Smedley
A so-called investment opportunity reportedly took the social media platform WeChat by storm — and stole millions from the Chinese community in the U.S. A flurry of social media posts urged people to “invest” in various household goods and electronics, promising returns of 20-40% in 1-3 months. But it was really a scam. Want to know how to spot it?
Consumer Alert

You got the job!

Seena Gressin
You got the job! Work from home and earn top dollar. They already sent you a big check to buy supplies. (“Send us whatever is left, probably around $1,000,” they said.) If your alarm bells are clanging — great. This dream job has earmarks of a job scam.
Consumer Alert

Are you really the lucky winner? Spot the prize scams

Gema de las Heras
Say you hear or read the words: “You’ve won!” What will you do with your winnings? Who wouldn’t be excited to win a prize, sweepstakes, or lottery? But…did you actually win? And how do you know? Sweepstakes, prize, and lottery frauds are among the top scams people report to the FTC. These scams usually start with a call or message that says you’re a winner. (A lie.) They say to get the so-called prize you have to send money or click somewhere to give your information. Don’t. The most recent FTC data shows people reported losing $301 million to this type of fraud. That’s an average loss of $907 per person.
Consumer Alert

It’s Financial Literacy Month: Learn how to keep your money safe from scammers

Colleen Tressler
April is Financial Literacy Month, and a great time to take advantage of free advice at ftc.gov/Money Matters. Federal Trade Commission data show people reported losing $8.8 billion to scams in 2022, up more than 30 percent from 2021. Money Matters has the tools we can all use to spot, avoid, and report scams, and help those we care about protect their bottom line. Read on to learn more.
Consumer Alert

Is it really the IRS?

Kira Krown
The “IRS” is on the phone. They’re saying you owe back taxes and need to pay immediately using cryptocurrency, or you’ll be arrested. You reach for your wallet but then think — WAIT — is this really the IRS? Or is it someone impersonating the IRS?
Consumer Alert

Avoid scammers trying to profit from a deadly tornado

Gema de las Heras
Every time there’s a natural disaster — like the tornado that tore through Mississippi and neighboring states — scammers are quick to follow. How do they exploit tragedy to steal from people who have lost everything? Read on to learn how to avoid these scams.
Consumer Alert

Scammers use AI to enhance their family emergency schemes

Alvaro Puig
You get a call. There's a panicked voice on the line. It's your grandson. He says he's in deep trouble — he wrecked the car and landed in jail. But you can help by sending money. You take a deep breath and think. You've heard about grandparent scams. But darn, it sounds just like him. How could it be a scam? Voice cloning, that's how.
Article

Job Scams

Scammers advertise jobs the same way honest employers do — online (in ads, on job sites, and social media), in newspapers, and sometimes on TV and radio. They promise you a job, but what they want is your money and your personal information. Here are some examples of jobs scams and advice on how to avoid them.