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When big things in your home break — like your dishwasher or air conditioning system — they can cost lots of money to fix. Some people buy “ home warranties ” (which are really service contracts) to help cover these costs. But what exactly is a so-called home warranty? There are different types and options depending on the company and amount you pay, but home warranties typically cover replacements and repairs for things like appliances or air...

According to U.S. Census data, more than one third of U.S. households rent their home — that’s more renters than at any point in the last 50 years. Every year, millions of people go through the process of looking for and renting a home. The application process can be expensive and not so transparent, and often requires prospective tenants to undergo a background screening process. Tenant screening reports often include criminal and eviction...

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. Then, every year, the FTC rolls up all those millions of reports about fraud, scams, and bad business practices to tell the story: what ARE scammers up to these days? The 2022 headline is this: scammers took a LOT of money. The latest FTC data book says people reported losing $8.8 billion to scams. That’s $2.6...

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? Scammers are using fake Shark Tank celebrity testimonials and endorsements — complete with doctored photos and videos — to generate buzz and profits. Before you click and buy, follow this advice and check it out. Here’s what to do if you’re wondering whether something is Shark...

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, you or your friends might be thinking about love. But not everyone is — some are just looking to get into your pockets. Read on so you can spot and report scammers before they trick someone you care about out of money. Romance scammers might contact you on social media or dating apps saying they want to get to know you. It’s true love, they say, but they live too far away to meet. Maybe because of work...

People are reporting a new twist on a banking imposter scam targeting the military. In this latest con, imposters call servicemembers and pretend to be from or working with DFAS (for us civilians, that’s the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, a Department of Defense agency that handles getting pay to servicemembers). Here’s how the scam plays out. The caller says the servicemember was (supposedly) underpaid. They demand the servicemember’s...

Nowadays, there are health-related apps and websites everywhere that let you track things like your physical activity, health conditions, caloric intake, prescriptions, and even ovulation. They ask you for details about yourself and your health, but what if they use and share your information in ways they’re not supposed to? The FTC says GoodRx, a digital health platform that offers virtual doctor visits and lets users get coupons for...

As unique as we each are, we all look the same to identity thieves: like good targets. To them, it’s all about our Social Security numbers, birth dates, account login credentials, and other personal information. But during Identity Theft Awareness Week (January 30-February 3) we can all fight back against identity theft. During Identity Theft Awareness Week 2023, join us to talk about how identity theft affects every community and also look at...

Today, the FTC announced a new claims process to return money to thousands of former AT&T customers as a result of a $60 million settlement with AT&T. To date, $52 million has already been refunded. Are you a former AT&T customer who had an unlimited data plan between October 2011 and June 2015 and you haven’t already cashed a check from AT&T? You might be eligible to get a payment. Are you a current AT&T customer who had an unlimited data plan...

What do the model of your first car, your favorite hobby, and the high school you attended have in common? If you said they’re questions commonly used for online account security and online quizzes, you’re correct! Before you take a quiz to find out which Marvel character you are, ask yourself: Do I know who’s gathering this information about me — or what they plan to do with it? Personality tests, quick surveys, and other types of online quizzes...