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Have you gotten a call about a prize for a contest you never entered? It might be a scam. We’ve been hearing about scammers calling to say you’ve won a boatload of money from Publishers Clearing House (PCH) through a multi-state lottery. They tell you to call a number and press 1 to learn more. If you don’t, you supposedly won’t get the money. What would you do?

When you order something online, you might get several emails or text messages about your order: Confirming your order. Telling you it shipped. Saying it's out for delivery. Notifying you about delivery. Did you know that scammers send fake package shipment and delivery notifications to try to steal people's personal information — not just at the holidays, but all year long? Here's what you need to know to protect yourself from these scams.

According to the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel, auto-related issues are in the top ten report categories for military consumers. Why would cars — or trucks or other vehicles — be such a problem for the military community? Servicemembers often need vehicles for transportation in and around military bases. They have a steady income, which is why they’re a particular target. And when younger personnel and those new to the service buy or lease a vehicle...

Scams can be hard to spot because they often look just like the real thing. That includes job scams. They crop up on real job sites, including places like LinkedIn. Scammers have even invited people to do things like 45-minute interviews, putting in the time so you let your guard down. So how do you tell a scam from the real thing?

QR codes seem to be everywhere. You may have scanned one to see the menu at a restaurant or pay for public parking. And you may have used one on your phone to get into a concert or sporting event, or to board a flight. There are countless other ways to use them, which explains their popularity. Unfortunately, scammers hide harmful links in QR codes to steal personal information. Here’s what to know. There are reports of scammers covering up QR...

Recently, the White House announced some initiatives the Administration is undertaking to improve the lives of the military and veteran communities. The FTC participates in several of these efforts, including the VSAFE task force that’s working to help veterans and their families avoid scams and other deceptive practices.

Trouble making car payments? Worried about repossession? Unexpected life events, like a job loss or drop in income, may affect your ability to pay your bills, including car payments. If you’re worried that you won’t be able to make your next car payment, take action as soon as possible. If you get behind on your payments, your lender could repossess your car — sometimes without warning. Read on to learn what to do. Contact your lender now. Don’t...

Giving Tuesday is a terrific time to support your favorite cause or charity. Here’s how to avoid charity scams and make your donations count.

You may have heard us say when you’re shopping online, check things out before checkout. The same advice applies to giveaways on social media sites like Facebook and Instagram. Here’s why: One in four people who reported losing money to fraud since 2021 said it started on social media. Scammers make it hard to tell what’s real and what’s fake. Want to avoid scams on your feed? Slow your scroll and keep reading to find out how. If you follow your...

If you’re a veteran’s surviving family or caregiver, you may be eligible for expanded burial benefits that help cover certain funeral expenses. But scammers may contact you, saying that for a fee they can do the paperwork and guarantee what benefits you’ll get. Other scammers pretend to be from the VA. But the VA will never call, text, or email out of the blue and ask for your credit card or bank account information. Making funeral arrangements...