Blog

Whether stationed stateside or deployed to another part of the world, our military personnel make sacrifices during their service. Some have made the ultimate sacrifice. In fact, since the country’s founding, more than one million servicemembers have lost their lives during a conflict. As we approach Memorial Day, we honor those fallen troops who died in service of the nation.

If you’ve been affected by a data breach, or otherwise had your information hacked or stolen, you’ve probably asked yourself, “What happens when my stolen information is made public?” At the FTC’s Identity Theft workshop this morning, our Office of Technology staff reported on research they did to find out. First, they created a database of information about 100 fake consumers. To make the information realistic, they used popular names based on...

Summer is around the corner, and I’m dreaming about my next vacation! There are so many places to visit, and a lot of travel deals to consider. My budget and time are limited, so I have to choose carefully. I simply can’t afford losing out to a travel scam. I want a good trip at a fair price, so I only deal with travel businesses I trust – whether it’s a travel agency or a travel website. I also do research and ask myself some key questions: Are...

When you tell us about a scam, it helps us investigate scammers. But it also helps us warn other people about the scam – so they can avoid it. Our partners at US Citizenship and Immigration Services ( USCIS) told us about a new twist on a common phone scam: scammers are calling immigrants in the US – but this time, the scammers are pretending to be from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). In standard scammer procedure, they fake...

Think you got an email from a business you know? Scammers sometimes use emails that look legit to trick you into sending money to them. The email might say it’s from a real estate professional you’re working with, telling you there’s a last-minute change and you should now wire your closing costs to a different account. Or it could seem to be an email – with an invoice – from your utility company, telling you to wire payment. Whatever the story...

You’ve probably heard about the ransomware attack affecting organizations’ computer systems around the world. It seems to affect server software on organizations’ networked computers. But ransomware can attack anybody’s computer, so now is a good time to update your own operating system and other software. And then keep them up-to-date. The ransomware in the news now is known as WannaCry or WannaCrypt. It locks users out of their systems until...

Ever wonder if your dietary supplements are truly safe, effective and risk-free? If you are a member of the military, this question can be particularly important. Servicemembers often are targeted by companies selling supplements: to help members of the military lose weight, enhance workouts, or be in top shape for battle. If you’re considering using a dietary supplement, you may be aware of some of the potential health risks. But you also might...

There’s a new scam out there, preying on veterans who are making decisions about their medical care. The Veterans Choice Program (VCP) is an initiative of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The program allows certain eligible vets to use approved health care providers who are outside of the VA system. Veterans or families can call the VCP’s toll-free number to verify their eligibility for the program. Here’s the problem: Scammers have...

Growing up, my mother gave me her own version of “scam alerts.” She let me know when an offer sounded fishy and told me stories of fraudsters conning people out of their hard-earned money. Maybe your mom did too. This Mother’s Day, why not return the favor by letting mom know about the FTC’s Scam Alerts? Crooks use clever schemes to defraud millions of people every year. They combine sophisticated technology with age-old tricks to get people to...

The Department of Defense reports that about half of the military force is married. Military spouses have a very full plate. Many of them parent children solo during their servicemember’s deployment. In fact, 2.7 million children have had a parent deploy. Many military spouses move their households every two to three years, according to the National Military Family Association. And military spouses regularly take on responsibilities that make it...