Blog

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:

Did you ever get an email that seemed legit, but it asked you to click a link or give up some personal information? Well, if you play massive multiplayer online games, be warned: phishers are looking for ways to get those emails into your inbox. Here’s how it goes:

Phone scammers spend their days making trouble. They waste our time, tie up our phone lines and harass us with ugly language. Some do much, much worse. The FTC has heard from people who got calls from scammers saying, “I’ve kidnapped your relative,” and naming a brother, sister, child or parent. “Send ransom immediately by wire transfer or prepaid card,” they say, “or something bad will happen.”

Recently, I told you about the new credit and debt chip cards designed to reduce fraud, including counterfeiting. Now, I'm reporting on scammers who are trying to take advantage of the millions of consumers who haven't yet received a chip card.

If you’ve ever had your information exposed in a data breach, you know it can be stressful. Depending on what information is exposed, you might have to cancel credit or debit cards, change online passwords, or even put a freeze on your credit. But what happens if your child’s personal information is exposed, too?

Coming to a wallet near you: new credit and debit chip cards. They’re part of a nationwide shift by major card issuers to offer added security against fraud. The new cards look like your old cards with one exception: they have a small square metallic chip on the front. The chip holds your payment data — some of which is currently held on the magnetic stripe on your old cards — and provides a unique code for each purchase. The metallic chip is designed to reduce fraud, including counterfeiting.

You know what would go great with your pumpkin spiced treats this October? Cyber security! Okay, now that I have your attention, October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, and it’s a great time to be #CyberAware. There are plenty of ways to participate.

Do you ever think about buying a franchise? Maybe you’ve heard of big opportunities and want to make a career change or build a business. Before you go further, know this: a franchise is like all investments – there’s no guarantee it will succeed. That’s why it’s important to do research and talk with franchisees and expert advisors before you invest. If you’re considering buying a franchise, the FTC has updated information to help you.

My mom always told me that my vision would get worse from sitting too close to a screen and playing video games — not better. But according to the FTC, Carrot Neurotechnology said you could improve your vision by buying and playing its $9.99 Ultimeyes video game app. People bought the app because they believed it would help them see better, but in a case announced today, the FTC says there isn’t enough scientific proof that the app will work.

How do you decide which products to buy? Price tags, product labels and ads likely play a part in your choice. They tell you about ingredients, how much product you get for the price, and whether a product has qualities that matter to you — like being environmentally safer. Since labels, ads and product claims influence our spending choices, it’s important they give us accurate and complete information.