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The FTC is getting reports about a new phishing scam that looks a lot like the CAPTCHA requests you might be used to seeing. Real CAPTCHAs give you image- or text-based tasks to prove you’re not a robot — something like typing letters and numbers exactly as they appear, or matching pictures of things like fire hydrants or traffic lights. Here’s how the fake CAPTCHA requests happen…and how you could wind up installing malware on your own device.

If you’re a childcare provider, you know parents might sometimes need to arrange for childcare in a pinch. But if you get an urgent message from someone who says they need childcare and will send you a check in advance, that’s likely a scammer trying to trick you into sending them money.

Scammers lie and pretend to be an FTC employee to trick you into giving them money, access to your financial accounts, or your personal information. In a new twist, they falsely claim they’re an FTC “agent” that can help you recover money you lost in a scam. Here’s how this new FTC impersonator scam works: You get an unexpected message from a contact you don’t know They say they’re an FTC employee or “agent” (they’re not) and they can help you...

Hurricane season starts today. Are you prepared? Wherever you live, scammers follow whatever weather emergencies may strike. So as this hurricane season gets started, check over your family’s emergency plan and restock your supply kit. And then check out the FTC’s Dealing with Weather Emergencies article so you’re prepared to avoid scams in case a hurricane (and scammers) cross your path. Here are four things to do to prepare for hurricane season...

Medicare losses due to fraud, errors, and abuse cost taxpayers about $60 billion every year. Providers might double bill Medicare for a single treatment, charge for things like a back brace you didn’t get (or need); a company might offer you a fake Medicare drug plan; or a scammer might ask you to confirm your Medicare number ­— which they then use to commit hospice fraud.

It’s graduation and summer party season. The FTC is getting reports about unexpected “You’re invited” texts and emails that are actually phishing scams. These fake invitations ask for your email login credentials or a special pass code to open them, but don’t do it. Learn how these phishing scams work and how to protect yourself if you get one.

Have you seen ads promising that a training or coaching program will help you build a thriving business or make significant money investing in markets like crypto, forex, or precious metals? Offers like these might sound exciting, but could be coaching scams in disguise. Do you know how to spot them? Scammers promote training programs that claim to teach you how to succeed by investing in ecommerce businesses, financial markets, or real estate...

Scams often start with a text, call, or an ad or message on social media. So, if you have a phone or you’re on social media, chances are you’ve heard from a scammer recently. Scammers love sending texts — so much so that last year’s fraud reports to the FTC show more people reporting that a scammer contacted them by text than any other way. Scammers often send texts pretending to be businesses or the government (think fake notices about package...

Having someone share an intimate photo or video of you online without your consent can be stressful and overwhelming. These images, including AI-generated deepfakes, can spread quickly and cause real and lasting harm. That’s why Congress passed the TAKE IT DOWN Act— and why the FTC is holding platforms accountable under the law. The TAKE IT DOWN Act now requires covered platforms—like social media, messaging, and image or video sharing apps and...

If you run a small business, you know how important it is to pay your bills. Scammers know this too and send fake invoices to businesses for products or services they never ordered in the hopes they’ll pay up. These scams often start when you or someone on your staff gets an unexpected or unfamiliar invoice in the mail. It bills your company for things you didn’t order — maybe tech support, domain registration, or search engine optimization...