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Here’s a thought to warm the Grinch’s heart: while you’re focused on the holiday season, identity thieves are thinking about how to steal your information. One of the ways they try to do that is by filing a fake tax return using your information — like your Social Security number — to get a tax refund. You may only find out about it when you get a letter from the IRS. Or when you file your return, only to hear from the IRS that someone else already did. That’s tax identity theft, a problem we hear more about each year. Tax identity theft also happens when someone uses your Social Security number to get a job or claims your child as a dependent on a tax return.

You probably know a few veterans. You might even be a vet yourself. If so, you’ll want to get some valuable tips from the FTC’s Military Consumer campaign, the Department of Veteran Affairs and the US Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). We’re joining forces for a Twitter chat about how vets can protect themselves against identity theft and IRS imposter scams – and how to use Identitytheft.gov to recover from this crime. Follow @MilConsumer and be part of the conversation at #VeteranIDTheft TODAY Tuesday, December 8 at 1:00 pm (ET).

If you’re like me, you probably look up online reviews before you go holiday shopping, make vacation plans, or even hire a plumber. Seeing what other people think can be super helpful in weighing decisions — especially before you fork over your hard-earned money.

Does your internet browser ever display ads that just seem wrong — for example, an inappropriate ad on a kid’s website, an ad that blocks content on the page, or an ad on a government site? It might look something like this: Unwanted software could be to blame. Free downloads sometimes come with hidden software that can: cause your computer to slow down or crash modify your security settings, greatly increasing your risk of viruses inject scammy and inappropriate ads into your browser make it difficult to remove the software

Each year, Cyber Monday promises unbelievable savings – but before you start snagging deals, here are some tips to help you save money and protect your personal information:

There are lots of reasons you might take a dietary supplement — to feel healthy, to feel younger, to manage pain, or just to get more nutrients. But while some supplements have proven benefits, some may not work the way their ads claim, and others might be downright dangerous for your health. Yes, even the ones that claim to be “all-natural.” Today, the FTC along with other federal agencies announced a joint sweep of actions against companies that have misled people about the safety, effectiveness, or contents of their dietary supplements. Specifically, the FTC brought cases against marketers who didn’t have scientific proof that their supplements worked. We’ve written about some of these cases before, which included ads claiming certain supplements could help you:

Have you already decked your halls in lights, timed to blink to the strains of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer? Even if you haven’t reached that level of early enthusiasm, the holiday spirit is starting to spread already. If you spend any time on social media, you may have seen posts about the Secret Sister Gift Exchange. SSGE encourages you to mail a gift worth $10 dollars to a stranger at the top of the list. Supposedly, in return, you’ll get a pile of presents from other participants. SSGE and come-ons like it encourage you to hop on board an enticing cash- or gift-giving experience. Sounds like a good time, right? Sorry, Blitzen, stop that sleigh!

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the nation had more than 9.3 million veterans aged 65 and older in 2013. For most of us, Veterans Day means a time to thank all our former servicemembers. But it’s a sad truth that scammers operate out of greed, not gratitude. Not-so-honest people target older veterans and their families to cheat them out of their hard-earned benefits. In one type of scam, unscrupulous advisers claim to offer free help with paperwork for pension claims. But these attorneys, financial planners, and insurance agents persuade veterans over 65 to make decisions about their pensions without giving them the whole truth about the long-term consequences. They tell veterans to transfer their assets to a trust – or to invest in insurance products – so they can qualify for Aid and Attendance benefits. What they don’t say? The transaction could cause the veterans to lose eligibility for Medicaid services or the use of their money for a long time.

You walk out of a VA facility, and see a booth with people offering free phones and cell service for veterans, all thanks to a government program. It sounds compelling, right? “Free” might end up costing you a lot of money. The FTC has heard about booths like these — and what happens next. Months later, veterans who signed up for the program get notices saying they need to provide personal information and documents to prove they meet the income requirements — something the people pitching the program never mentioned. Many veterans find that their incomes are too high to qualify for the program, and face losing service or paying for something they thought would be free.

Are you a teacher looking for online safety resources to share with your students? You’re in luck. The FTC offers FREE resources on topics including cyberbullying, using public Wi-Fi safely, advertising literacy, downloading apps, protecting personal information online, and much more. We’ve got videos and games you can use in classrooms, and helpful print guides to share with students and their parents. You can order as many free materials as you need from ftc.gov/bulkorder. Allow 3-4 weeks for shipping (shipping is free, too). Added bonus: there are no copyright issues or permissions needed to use our information. Here are some popular materials teachers have told us they love to use: