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Your personal information is valuable. That’s why hackers try to steal it. This year, for National Cyber Security Awareness Month, we’ve got tips to help you keep your personal information from ending up in the hands of a hacker. Protect your phone Let’s start with protecting the data on your phone. Set your phone to lock automatically and create a passcode to unlock it. Use at least a 6-digit passcode. When you notice an update for your phone is...

If your cell phone is your go-to device for checking your email, paying your bills, or posting to social media, you’re not alone. So imagine that your cell phone suddenly stops working: no data, no text messages, no phone calls. Then picture getting an unexpected notification from your cellular provider that your SIM card has been activated on a new device. What’s going on? These could be signs that a scammer has pulled a SIM card swap to hijack...

Sometimes the FTC is able to return money to people who were ripped off in a con artist’s scheme. But scammers try to cause confusion and take advantage at every step. If you lost money in a scam, you might get a call or email from someone claiming that they can help you recover your funds – if you pay them, hand over personal information, or allow them remote access to your computer. Don’t do it! Recent complaints to the FTC show that scammers...

Are you thinking about joining a multi-level marketing business to earn extra money? Before investing your hard-earned cash, make sure you’re not dealing with a pyramid scheme – a scam that can cost you dearly. Today, the FTC announced a case against Texas-based AdvoCare International, a multi-level marketer of energy drinks, shakes, and supplements. AdvoCare claimed people could earn unlimited income, quit their day jobs, and gain financial...

Lots of people fall for scams. Is it any different for Millennials? That’s what the FTC explores in its new Data Spotlight, Not what you think: Millennials and fraud. According to the Data Spotlight, Millennials are 25% more likely to report losing money to fraud than other adults (age 40 and over), and much more likely to tell us they lost money on certain types of fraud. Online shopping frauds stand out – Millennials are twice as likely to...

Online dating sites are a common way people seek romance. But what if, instead of a potential match, you find a scammer? Today, t he FTC announced a lawsuit against Match.com, challenging several of Match’s business practices, including ones that the FTC says exposed customers to romance scammers. If you had a free Match account and got a message from another user, Match would send you a notice like this one to encourage you to “read his email”...

We’ve seen a new twist on the Social Security Administration (SSA) scam recently. Check out this SSA imposter robocall, which says your benefits will end. (That’s not true, by the way.) Your browser does not support the audio element. If you get a call like this, do not press 1. Instead, just hang up and remember: Your Social Security number is not about to be suspended. The real Social Security Administration will never call to threaten your...

If you suffered damage from Hurricane Dorian, or if you’re looking for ways to help those in need, start at ftc.gov/weatheremergencies. You’ll find ways to spot the scams that often follow disasters. After a storm like Hurricane Dorian, scammers often target people who need to get their homes cleaned up or repaired, or find a new place to rent. Scammers might pose as a government official, asking for financial information or money to apply for...

Dishonest companies set up websites that look like legitimate places to get information on finding a job, joining the military, or getting government benefits. But they might not help you with any of those things. Instead, they’ll take your personal information and sell it to other companies. The companies that buy those “leads” then try to pitch you products or services you didn’t ask for. The FTC has reached a settlement with Career Education...

If you needed yet another nudge to start keeping an eye on your credit report to protect against identity theft, Capital One has delivered it with its announcement that a data breach has exposed the personal information of 106 million of its credit card customers and credit card applicants in the United States and Canada. News of the Capital One breach comes just one week after the Federal Trade Commission announced that Equifax agreed to pay up...