Learn about the latest scams, and get advice to help you avoid, report, and recover from them.
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Consumer Alert
How to spot, stop, and report post-disaster scams
Whether you’re starting to assess the damage from Hurricane Ida, the recent flooding in Tennessee, the wildfires in the West, or another natural disaster, coping with the aftermath is never easy.
Consumer Alert
You got the job!
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
Ads for fake AI and other software spread malicious software
There’s a lot of hype around artificial intelligence (AI) these days. And cybercriminals are taking advantage of people’s interest in AI to spread harmful malware through online ads.
Consumer Alert
Are you really the lucky winner? Spot the prize scams
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
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?
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
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
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.
Consumer Alert
No — HHS didn’t reach out about free grant money
Did you get a message from a friend on social media about a US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) grant opportunity? Or from someone saying they were an HHS employee? Well…they weren’t who they said they were. They were a scammer.
Consumer Alert
What to know about the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey
Getting a call, letter, or a visit about the American Community Survey (ACS) — when so many scammers are trying to trick you into sharing personal information — might make you think twice. And it’s good to think twice. But the ACS is a legitimate survey to collect information used to make decisions about how federal funding is spent in your community. Want to know more? Read on.
Consumer Alert
doTERRA distributors charged with making unfounded COVID-19 cure claims
Essential oils and supplements to prevent, treat, or cure COVID-19? If it smells fishy to you, the FTC agrees. According to the FTC, three high-level distributors for Utah-based multi-level marketing company doTERRA International, LLC, broke the law because they didn’t have scientific proof to back up their health benefit claims.
Consumer Alert
The top scams of 2022
What are scammers up to these days? Every day, people just like you tell the FTC what they’ve spotted, and maybe even lost money to.
Consumer Alert
Did your favorite Shark Tank celebrity really endorse THAT? Probably not
Before you spend money on that “Shark-approved” miracle invention, weight loss product, or keto diet pill, are you sure it’s really been through the Tank? Really sure?
Consumer Alert
FTC to voice service provider: give the robocalls a rest
Tired of getting endless robocalls? We are too. Robocalls aren’t just a pain to get, they’re often pushing scams for things like fake auto warranties and debt relief. But scammy robocallers can’t do it alone. That’s why the FTC is taking action against Stratics Networks, a company that supplied the technology for telemarketers to make tens of millions of robocalls. But that’s not all — the FTC is also suing the debt relief companies that hired Stratics to make robocalls for their illegal debt relief services.
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