Blog

Many companies say they want to serve those who serve. But some companies take advantage of our military personnel and use unlawful practices to lure them into deceptive deals. That’s why the FTC and eighteen states have brought charges against Harris Jewelry for violating federal and state lending and consumer protection laws. This is also the FTC’s first case alleging violations of the Military Lending Act (MLA). Harris sold jewelry, watches...

July is Disability Pride Month — a time to celebrate the proud identities, contributions, and culture of 40.8 million people with disabilities in the U.S. It’s when we recognize how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), signed on July 26, 1990, protects so many people from discrimination in countless ways every day. Let’s also make it about helping the people you care about avoid scams. What we know from our Every Community work is that...

It’s summer, peak moving season for military servicemembers and their families. You’ve got enough on your plate without having to worry about identity theft. But the reality is scammers are getting more and more clever with their tactics to swindle members of the military community. In fact, five years of identity theft data reported to the FTC on IdentityTheft.gov shows that active duty servicemembers are 76% more likely to report that an...

American servicemembers sacrifice so much to honorably defend the nation. But dishonorable scammers make it their mission to con servicemembers out of their hard-earned money and benefits by pretending to be trusted companies and government agencies. During Military Consumer Month — and all year round — we’re empowering servicemembers, veterans, and their families to spot and avoid impersonator scams. Scammers come up with all sorts of stories to...

July is Military Consumer Month. Whether you’re a new recruit, a servicemember PCS’ing with your family, or a soon-to-be veteran, the FTC wants to share some ways to steer clear of rip-offs and scammers. If you’re preparing to leave the service, you might be looking at ways to make a living while you’re exploring new career options. Maybe you’ve arrived at a new duty station and your spouse is looking for work. Today we’re talking about how to...

Veterans Day is a time to thank veterans for their contributions to our nation, and welcome to the civilian workforce the roughly 200,000 servicemembers who leave the service every year. Transitioning personnel face many decisions: figuring out changes to their benefits, revamping their budget, and planning for a civilian job. If you’re like the majority of veterans, you might want a career different than what you did in the service. Here are...

While American servicemembers stand ready to defend the nation, smalltime scammers and large corporations alike have them in their sights. They follow the money — and they know that military personnel get a steady paycheck and valuable benefits from Uncle Sam. And the eventual transition back to civilian life gives the scammers even more opportunities to target the troops. For instance, the FTC uncovered that the University of Phoenix (UOP), a...

Were you an Amazon Flex driver from late 2016 to August 2019? If so, you may be able to get the tips you earned that Amazon previously withheld. Several months ago, we told you the FTC filed a case against Amazon for keeping $61.7 million in tips drivers made while delivering for the Amazon Flex program. Today, the FTC announced a final settlement order in which Amazon will pay the full amount – $61.7 million – back to drivers. In addition...

As part of the American Rescue Plan Act, eligible families will get monthly payments from the government from July 15 through December 2021. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will send these monthly payments directly to people through direct deposit, paper checks, or debit cards. Unlike economic impact payments, these payments are an advance on families’ child tax credit. People who are eligible will get up to half of their child tax credit in...

Government imposters may have hit a new low with a scheme that targets the grieving survivors of people who died of COVID-19 by offering them help paying for their loved one’s funeral expenses. A real government relief program will pay up to $9,000 for funeral expenses that people have paid since January 20, 2020 for loved ones who died of COVID-19. Survivors can apply for benefits by contacting the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at...