Holiday "Grift" Exchange?

December 11, 2020

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

It’s the 4th day of Consumer Protection and ’tis the season of…gift cards. Even in Santa’s workshop, it’s one of the most popular ways to give to family and friends for the holidays. But gift cards also are a favorite way for scammers to steal people’s money. Anyone who demands that you pay them...

But the hire is not so delightful

December 08, 2020

Jim Kreidler, Consumer Education Specialist, FTC

On this 3 rd day of Consumer Protection, we’re talking about earning some extra cash. For lots of us, the holiday season is a good time to pick up some part-time work. It’s when retailers and delivery services need extra help. And, especially during the pandemic, many of us could use the cash. So...

Hawking in a winter wonderland

December 07, 2020

Jennifer Leach, Associate Director, Division of Consumer & Business Education, FTC

On this 2 nd day of Consumer Protection, it’s all about online shopping. Because that’s what we can do this year, right? (OK, it’s a lot of what we do any year.) If you’re spending some of your hard-earned money online, make sure you know where it’s going. Because it’s pretty easy for scammers to...

On the first day of consumer protection…

December 04, 2020

Jim Kreidler, Consumer Education Specialist, FTC

Welcome to the FTC’s 12 Days of Consumer Protection, a holiday series to help you save money and avoid scams. Each day, we’ll cover a new topic — from shopping online and bogus shipping notifications to temporary job scams and fake charities. We’ll give you practical information you can use every...

Giving wisely in the time of COVID

November 30, 2020

Rosario Mendez, Attorney, Division of Consumer and Business Education, FTC

Thanks to COVID-19, many charitable organizations are faced with greater demand for their services, but less in donations as people have less to give. Now, more than ever, it’s important to make sure that your donation will be used wisely and well. Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday, and as you consider...

Veterans and imposter scams

November 23, 2020

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

During the past four years, the FTC logged more than 378,000 reports from veterans — and nearly 161,000 were fraud-related. More than 24,000 of those reported a loss (with total losses of $205 million). Veterans had a median loss of $755, compared to active duty servicemembers who reported a median...

Help veterans avoid scams

November 09, 2020

Andrew Smith, Director, Bureau of Consumer Protection, FTC

On Veterans Day, we celebrate our veterans — more than 18 million strong. We thank you for your service and sacrifice. It’s also a good time to arm yourself with some tips to avoid fraud. We know that scammers follow the headlines, and their schemes evolve to take advantage of the things catching...

Overpaid your utility bill? That’s probably a scam

October 23, 2020

Lisa Lake, Consumer Education Specialist, FTC

You get a robocall saying you paid too much on a utility bill. To make up for this mistake, they say, you’ll get a cash refund and a discount on your future bills. All you have to do is press a number to get your money and discount. You say to yourself: “What luck!” You might think this strange...

Reporting fraud helps everyone – and now it’s easier to do

October 22, 2020

Monica Vaca, Associate Director, Division of Consumer Response and Operations, FTC

You can help the FTC and its partners fight fraud in your community — and you don’t even need to wear a superhero cape (unless you want to). Your story is your superpower. When you tell the FTC about frauds, scams, and other kinds of bad business practices, you’re helping the FTC and our law...

Threatening phone scams are targeting parents and immigrants

October 20, 2020

Cristina Miranda, Division of Consumer and Business Education, FTC

Two disturbing phone scams have popped up on the FTC’s radar. Both scams have one thing in common: they want to trick (and scare) you out of money. If you live on Staten Island, pay close attention, since these two scams seem to be targeting people in your area. But we know that scammers don’t...

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