2020 Census jobs: It costs nothing to apply

January 15, 2020

Colleen Tressler, Consumer Education Specialist, FTC

We saw it with the 2010 Census: scammers lying to people about the availability of jobs as census takers, and charging fees to help people get those jobs. If history is any indication, the scammers will likely be back at it for the 2020 Census. The FTC is partnering with the U.S. Census Bureau to...

Protecting small business from imposters

January 09, 2020

Laura Solis, Attorney, Federal Trade Commission

Opening a business requires planning, elbow grease, and probably some paperwork to register your new company with your state or local government. And that’s where some not-so-honest outfits may try to confuse you into thinking they’re from the government and that you need to pay money to complete...

Student loan debt relief

December 23, 2019

Carol Kando-Pineda, Counsel, FTC's Division of Consumer and Business Education

Are you repaying education-related loans? According to the Pew Research Center , about one-third of adu lts under age 30 have student loan debt. You’ve probably seen ads from companies promising to help with that debt. S ome of the companies that promise help are outright scams. Here are some tips...

Tips for holiday gift card shopping

December 13, 2019

Cristina Miranda, Division of Consumer and Business Education, FTC

Gift cards are one quick way to get through your last-minute holiday shopping list. But before you give (and get) gift cards, here are a few things you need to know. Inspect gift cards before you buy. A gift card should have all its protective stickers in place. Report the card to the store if...

What to ask before buying internet-connected toys

December 09, 2019

Cristina Miranda, Division of Consumer and Business Education, FTC

What’s on your holiday wish list? Perhaps a smart speaker for your kids’ bedroom, or a cuddly cool internet-connected smart toy to help them learn? Before you give one of these connected toys, read this handy list of questions. They can help you know what to look out for with an internet-connected...

Helping military kids

November 26, 2019

Carol Kando-Pineda, Attorney, FTC's Division of Consumer & Education

November is Military Family Month, a time to recognize the unique challenges that families face when supporting their servicemembers. Children may need to deal with a parent’s deployment or uprooting to move to a different community – and a new home, school, and friends. Here are some resources to...

“Pass it On” at the holidays

November 25, 2019

Lisa Weintraub Schifferle, Attorney, FTC, Division of Consumer & Business Education

Holidays often mean time with family and friends. If you’re looking for conversation starters that avoid tricky topics – like who should’ve won the World Series – why not chat about scams? Pass it On, an FTC education campaign, gives you new ways to talk about scams and how to prevent them. Sharing...

Veterans, servicemembers and fraud: by the numbers

November 18, 2019

Carol Kando-Pineda, Attorney, FTC's Division of Consumer & Business Education

When people report scams to the FTC, we learn a lot about how they experience fraud. These fraud reports are important for law enforcement and education efforts. And, as more and more people report fraud, the data can tell a more detailed story about specific groups of people. One example is recent...

Veterans: We honor and thank you

November 06, 2019

Carol Kando-Pineda, Staff Attorney, FTC's Division of Consumer & Business Education

November 11 is Veterans Day. More than 18 million people are U.S. military veterans. It’s a fitting time to thank military veterans for their sacrifice and service in protecting the United States. It’s also a good time to help protect our veterans from fraud. Whether you’re a recent veteran or you...

Are you a social media influencer?

November 06, 2019

Lesley Fair, Attorney, FTC Division of Consumer & Business Education

Chances are you know an influencer – a person who works with a brand to recommend or endorse a product in social media. Maybe you work at a company that uses influencers or perhaps that describes you, a friend, or a family member. Then you should read a new FTC brochure: Disclosures 101 for Social...

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